Offbeat L.A.: The Oldest Surviving Los Angeles Restaurants… A Master List of the Vintage, Historic and Old School

We are lucky in Los Angeles to have a lot of spectacular vintage restaurants, but we are still losing many every year to owners who retire, sell out for money or lose their long-held lease to nasty gentrification. I’m a sucker for a joint with history, charm, character and stories. I’m not as selective about a menu as I am about the ambiance, atmosphere and what I am experiencing. I’m a junkie for vintage architecture and old signs. I pray that old places don’t renovate their mid-century or even mid-’70s decor. I often search the internet for authentic old-school spots in neighborhoods I visit and finding them is not always easy. After a lot of detective work I’ve compiled this “Master List” and plan to update it regularly. I’m sure there are many holes in my research and would appreciate additions, updates and corrections in the comments section below. My criteria for the restaurants here is that they are at least 35 years old (1984) or older, although I have made a few exceptions, and that they are within about an hour’s drive from downtown L.A. You will find classic steakhouses, Googie diners, pastrami delicatessens, walk-up hamburger stands and more. The list includes all of Los Angeles and Orange Counties, but also the Inland Empire in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. I’ve added a Yelp link for each restaurant, so you can check out hours and customer reviews of the food. I do my best to keep this list continually updated and add, subtract and make changes as needed. As of February 2019 the list is at 445 places, spread as far south as the bottom of Orange County, east to San Bernardino and north to Santa Clarita. Cheers, my dears, and bon appetit! Love, Nikki

NOTE February 2019: In the 3 and 1/2 years years since I published this list, it has received nearly a million reads! That shows me how much people care about our vintage restaurants. I am constantly adding new restaurants I discover, updating the ones that have closed and expanding the descriptions below, so check back often for new updated information. Currently I’ve edited this list over 625 times. It is in perpetual evolution. All descriptions here started out as exactly 2 sentences each and I’ve been adding more specific histories, but it takes research and time. I have also been working hard at photographing everything on this list and have a Google Map in the works broken down by type of restaurant, location and descriptions. My goal is to have it finished soon and and publish it here at the Los Angeles Beat. It will make it easier to find the vintage restaurant you are in the mood for by type of food and neighborhood. Please click to see nearly 3,000 photos I have captured so far of the exteriors & interiors of these restaurants on my Offbeat L.A. Flickr.

Between May 2015 to February 2019 we have lost at least 43 restaurants on this list due to closure. These closures are found at the bottom of the list.

(1905) The Saugus Cafe25861 Railroad Ave, Santa Clarita, CA 91355. This is the oldest restaurant in both Los Angeles and Orange Counties, though the current building technically dates to 1952. President Roosevelt ate here in 1903 & later DW Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Marlena Dietrich, Clark Gable, John Wayne & Frank Sinatra. It is a traditional diner/cafe, with bar attached, featuring wood paneled walls and both counter and booth seating. Housed in a low ranch-style building, its exterior is bordered with mid-century river rock. Originally opened in 1887 as part of the Saugus Train Station under the name Saugus Eating House, it took its present name, The Saugus Cafe, in 1899. It moved to its present location in 1905 and was remodeled and enlarged in 1925. In 1952 it was re-built completely by a new owner.

(1908) Cole’s118 E 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90014. Founded by Henry Cole in 1908 on the bottom floor of the Pacific Electric Building, which at 10 stories was once L.A.’s tallest building. Known for their cocktails and French dip sandwiches, which both Cole’s and nearby Philippe’s claim to have invented. Cole’s story is that the au jus dipped roll was prepared at the request of a customer with sore gums who could not eat the crunchy bread. Closed briefly in March 2007 after 99 years in business, Cole’s was brought back to its original splendor with a new owner in 2008 with vermillion red wallpaper, a long mahogany wooden bar, a copper penny tiled floor, Tiffany-style lamps, old photographs mounted on the walls and a back speakeasy. Claims to have been a hangout of 1930s-40s gangster Mickey Cohen.

(1908) Philippe the Original1001 N Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90012. An old fashioned delicatessen with sawdust on the concrete floors, long communal wooden tables, vintage wooden booths and photographs and historical ephemera covering the walls. They are most famous for their French dipped roast beef sandwich and roll soaked in gravy. Originally opened at 300 Alameda St in 1908 by French immigrant Philippe Mathieu, it moved to its current location several blocks away in 1951 after being booted from the old one due to construction of the 101 Hollywood freeway. Philippe’s, like Cole’s, also claims to have invented the French Dip sandwich by accidentally dropped the crunchy roll into gravy.

(1915) Fair Oaks Pharmacy & Soda Fountain1526 Mission St, South Pasadena, CA 91030. Fair Oaks Pharmacyoriginally opened in 1915 as the South Pasadena Pharmacy at the same location that it still stands today on Mission Street, then known as Route 66. The soda fountain and lunch counter, serving ice cream treats and diner food, was added in the when the business became Raymond’s Pharmacy in the 1920s, and is one of the very few surviving soda fountains in the area. It was remodeled, and considerably spruced up, by owners Michael and Meredith Miller in 1989 adding heavy oak doors with embossed glass, marble counters, tin ceilings, honeycomb tile floors and original period soda fountain equipment acquired from MeGee Pharmacy in Joplin, Missouri. The Millers sold the business in 2005.

(1915) Watson Drugs & Soda Fountain116 E Chapman Ave, Orange, CA 92866. Originally opened as a drugstore in 1899 by a man named Kellar Watson, it was first located on Glassell St. in Orange, but moved around the corner to Chapman Ave in 1901. In 1915 they added the soda fountain and began serving ice cream and comfort food. For years Watson’s had a fun, kitschy mid-century vibe with booths and a long stainless steel counter with stools. In 2016 a new owner completely gutted and renovated the restaurant, bringing the interior back to its original turn of the century roots. The original tin ceilings were uncovered, new neon was added to the front and an old-time feeling wooden bar was added with more neon. The decor features vintage pharmacy items, newspaper wallpaper, old tin signs and vintage product packages.

(1919) Musso & Frank Grill 6667 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028.
Old Hollywood classic restaurant opened by Oregon restauranteur, Frank Toulet as Frank’s Cafe. Joseph Musso soon joined the business end and the restaurant was renamed Musso & Frank. Established in 1919, it is the oldest surviving restaurant in Hollywood, though the original location was next door to where it stands today. In 1927 Musso & Frank was bought by new owners, Joseph Carissimi and John Mosso, who moved it to its present site a few years later. The restaurant features red leather & wood booths, amazing signs and vintage American food. The Fettuccine Alfredo is the original recipe brought to the U.S. back in the 1920s by silent film stars Mary Pickford & Douglas Fairbanks. They supposedly brought the recipe back from a restaurant in Rome called Alfredo’s & would have Musso’s prepare it for them.

(1921) Pacific Dining Car1310 W 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90017. Upscale 24-hour steakhouse in a recreated and ornately decorated train car. Originally opened on the corner of 7th St and Westlake Ave in 1921 by Fred and Lovey Cook, it moved to 6th St and Witmer in 1923. More rooms and a larger bar area was added to the existing train car in the 1930s to 1940s. Ambiance is elegant with wood beamed ceilings, stained glass, chairs covered in deep green velvet, leather booths and luggage racks with vintage baggage in the main room to further carry the train theme. Prices are not cheap, but the atmosphere is also rich with history. It is still owned by descendants of the original owners.

(1924) Joe Jost2803 E Anaheim St, Long Beach, CA 90804. Established as a barber shop & pool hall. Serving sandwiches and pickled eggs since prohibition was appealed, this old-time tavern features a wooden bar, wood booths and a pool room full of memorabilia. Founded by Joe Jost, a Yugoslavian immigrant, the pub is now run by his grandson.

(1924) Original Pantry Cafe 877 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90017. Cash-only coffee shop serving traditional American comfort food, open 24-hours-a-day, that claims to have never closed during nearly 100 years in business. Originally located at 9th & Francisco Streets, the restaurant the consisted of 15 stool counters and a grill and hot plate, but in 1950 the Pantry moved to its current location one block away to make room for a freeway off-ramp. The interior is diner-like, with an exposed cooking area, wood paneling, hanging globe lamps, vintage photography on the walls and a long counter with 19 stools and 19 old fashioned enamel tables. Currently owned by Richard Riordan.

(1925) Bay Cities Italian Deli1517 Lincoln Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401. Classic old school Italian market that first opened on the corner of Broadway & Lincoln in Santa Monica in 1925, two doors down from where it is located today. Story says that founder Antonio DiTomasi was a Chicago policeman who relocated west because the local mob was on his back. Bay Cities moved to its current building in the 1970s and its utilitarian brick exterior, with patio and portillo tile overhang, was given a modern era remodel in 2010. Its interior features a long glass deli case and an extensive Italian grocery market, added to the original delicatessen. Serving sandwiches with bread baked on premises, it is known for the “Godmother,” a sandwich loaded five Italian cold-cut and all house salads, first created by DiTomasi in 1952. The deli has gone through 5 different owners since its initial opening, but kept the same manager, Victorio Campos, since 1971.

(1925) Tam O’Shanter2980 Los Feliz Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039. This Scottish-themed steakhouse opened in 1922 by Lawrence Frank and Walter Van de Kamp and was originally called Montgomery’s Country Inn, becoming Tam ‘O Shanter in 1925. It was built in the storybook style, with a thatched roof, by architect and Hollywood set designer Harry Oliver, who also did the Witch’s House in Beverly Hills and the Van de Kamp bakeries. Fatty Arbuckle, Mary Pickford, silent film cowboy star Tom Mix and John Wayne were regulars while Walt Disney insisted upon Table 31, which bears a plaque today. The interior is ornate, with wood beamed ceilings, fireplaces, stained glass windows, thick carpeting and Scottish inspired decor, such as coats of arms, medieval weapons and historical photos. It is the oldest restaurant/pub continuously operated by the same family in Los Angeles, though it did change names to The Great Scott from 1967 to 1982. Waiters and waitresses dress in plaid tartan, while a pub section has built-in wooden booths and a more casual atmosphere.

(1926) Greenblatt’s Delicatessen8017 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90046.
Opened in 1926 by Herman Greenblatt, this brick-fronted Jewish Deli was originally located a few doors down, where the Laugh Factory now stands. Owned by the Kavin family since 1940, it has kept its vintage integrity with wooden booths and a long glass case filled with deli and bakery items.

(1926) Lanza Brothers Market1803 N Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90031. Tiny, authentic neighborhood grocery market that serves up much beloved Italian deli sandwiches in a still rough and tumble area near downtown. The neighborhood was an original Little Italy through the teens and 1920s and this is one of the few pieces left, along with nearby San Antonio Winery. A few cafe tables outside of this vintage brick building are available for curbside eating.

(1927) Barney’s Beanery 8447 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069.Barney’s Beanery had its start in Berkeley, CA in 1920. It moved to its current location in West Hollywood in 1927, when Santa Monica Blvd was still a dirt road and was surrounded by poinsettia fields. It was always a shack or roadhouse with wooden walls & floors, and still hasn’t changed much. In the early days it was frequented by actors like Clara Bow, John Barrymore, Jean Harlow, Bette Davis, Clark Gable and more. In the 1960s it became a hangout for musicians like Jim Morrison and Janis Joplin, who favored booth #34. The bright yellow & orange sign was most likely installed in the ’60s, along with the cool multicolored booths of thick orange/yellow/pink/beige stripes. Barney’s has always been known for their large selection of beer, hamburgers & chili, but they slightly scaled down the menu about 4 years ago.

(1927) El Cholo 1121 Western Ave Los Angeles, CA 90006. The oldest surviving Mexican restaurant to have stayed located in the same location in Los Angeles. It was first opened on Broadway downtown in 1923 as the Sonora Cafe and became El Cholo in 1925. The current El Cholo on Western Ave was opened two years later and originally had 8 stools and 3 booths. The restaurant is still owned by the descendants of the original owners.

(1928) La Golondrina Mexican Cafe17 Olvera St, Los Angeles, CA 90012. One of the earliest Mexican restaurants to open in Los Angeles. It was originally opened in 1924 as La Mision Cafe on Spring St. by Consuelo Castillo de Bonzo, a widow who had emigrated from Mexico to Los Angeles in 1899. La Mision was demolished to build City Hall and in 1928 moved to Olvera Street, the oldest street in the city. Olvera Street was getting a re-birth at the time by a wealthy socialite who was fashioning it into a tourist destination full of shops and restaurants. La Mision was renamed La Golondrina, after a popular Mexican song. It is located in the oldest brick building in LA, Pelanconi House, which was built in 1855.

(1929) Eastside Market & Italian Deli1013 Alpine St, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Old-fashioned, tried and true Italian-American deli, opened in 1929 as a market, located in the hills above Chinatown, not far from Dodger Stadium. With a busy and authentic deli counter serving up huge cold-cut sandwiches on crusty bread, Italian dishes and cannoli, it has had minimal remodeling and remains true to the past. The dining area has a handful of wooden tables and chairs, concrete floors, framed historical photos and atmospheric ceiling fans. It gets crazy crowded at lunch time, but the rest of the time it’s pretty mellow.

(1929) The Rock Inn17539 Elizabeth Lake Rd, Lake Hughes, CA 93532. The Rock Inn was built in 1929 by Joel Hurd, who after watching his business across the street burn to the ground, decided to build his next one, a hotel, post office and trading post, out of stone. With a castle-like exterior built of river rocks and a large stone fireplace, this restaurant serves American food and burgers and is a known biker hangout. The interior is a rustic tavern, with hard wood floors, stone columns, a long wood bar and tables and chairs.

(1930) Brighton Coffee Shop9600 Brighton Way, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. Brighton Coffee Shop opened in 1930 in Beverly Hills. Serving traditional American breakfast and lunch, there are also Korean selections on the menu, influenced by current owner Pil Rai Ahn. The interior is simple and basic, with booths, tables and a breakfast counter. Its decor has been updated over the years, but has still stayed with a more retro feel. The exterior has kept its wonderful corner vintage sign with original font and its old-timey awnings.

(1931) Canter’s 419 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036. Canter’s began its Los Angeles journey when New Jersey-born Ben Canter and his two brothers opened Canter’s Brother’s Delicatessen in Boyle Heights, then a distinctly Jewish neighborhood, in 1931. It moved to its current location in 1953 and expanded in 1959; the mid-century decorative touches have remained much the same since that time. Serving an enormous menu of Jewish deli favorites and American diner classics, this casual restaurant is open 24-hours and has a long history of hosting celebrities from film, music and politics. In fact listing a Who’s Who would take up half of this page. With bakery cases in the entryway filled with delicious treats, amazing original neon signs, a diner area with booths and an attached ’50s style lounge, it is happily stuck in time.

(1931) El Coyote7312 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036. El Coyote Restaurant was originally opened in 1931 by Blanche & George March. It started as a tiny cafe on La Brea & 1st Street, but relocated to its present location in 1951. With original mid-century signs, multi-colored bottle glass windows, burgundy leather booths, vintage light fixtures and a separate bar room, it is one of the best known original old-school Mexican restaurants left in the city. Its story includes the dark history of having served Sharon Tate and her friends their last meal in 1969 before they went home and were murdered by the Manson family hours later. The “Sharon Tate Booth” still remains and is part of the restaurant’s folklore.

(1931) Halfway House Cafe15564 Sierra Hwy, Santa Clarita, CA 91390. The Halfway House Cafe opened as a restaurant in 1931, but has a history as a trading post dating back to 1906, because of its location exactly halfway between Los Angeles and Palmdale. This casual, old country diner with rustic wood walls, a long wood-paneled eating counter and a handful of tables and chairs has a great weathered Western-style exterior & vintage neon sign standing tall on a pole. It has been used as a filming location for countless TV shows and films, including “The Twilight Zone,” “Heroes,” “Melrose Place,” “Numbers,” “CSI,” “ER,” “Angel,” “The King of Queens,” “The A-Team,” “Gilmore Girls,” “Starsky and Hutch,” “Sons of Anarchy,” “Diagnosis Murder,” “Monk,” Heroes,” “Space Cowboys,” “Lost In America,” “Georgia Rule,” “Heartbreak Ridge,” “Waitress,” “Mi Vida Loca,” “Every Which Way But Loose,” and many more.

(1933) Colonial Kitchen1110 Huntington Dr, San Marino, CA 91108. The information available about Colonial Kitchen restaurant in San Marino, is murky at best. No one there seems to know the opening date and the only information I could originally find was in old stories and people’s memories. Now that the building has been up for sale, realtors list the restaurant’s build date as 1933, which fits exactly in with stories of when it got its start. Located in a brick-fronted building with white shutters and amazing old neon, this restaurant/cafe/diner is amazingly quaint inside. With hard wood floors, wood paneled walls, green vintage vinyl booths, colonial-style wooden club chairs and a long wood laminate eating counter, which looks like it was added in the mid to late ’70s, it is country kitsch at its most authentic. The decor includes a significant amount of Elvis memorabilia, while the menu is hearty American vintage comfort food, including Salisbury Steak, Liver and Onions and an unusual Welsh Rarebit Sandwich.

(1934) Magee’s Kitchen 6333 West Third Street, #624 Los Angeles, CA 90036. The first restaurant in the Original Farmer’s Market in Los Angeles was opened by Blanche Magee in 1934. She already had been operating a food stand for almost 2o years downtown at the Grand Central Market when she decided to sell turkey sandwiches to farmers who were selling produce at 3rd and Fairfax. She decided to convince land owner Earl B. Gilmore, who had seen his land go from a dairy farm to oil wells to the very first self-serve gas station, to let her have her own restaurant in the market when it formally opened for business. Known for its corned beef, Magee’s restaurant helped bring electricity to the Farmer’s market and first added tables and chairs. Magee herself lived to be 102 and passed away in 2000. Her descendants run the stand today.

(1934) Cielito Lindo23 Olvera St, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Tiny walk-up food stand, with a few tables on Olvera Street, specializing in taquitos, but also selling burritos. The restaurant was started by Mexican immigrant Aurora Guerrero out of a shed and expanded soon after. It was named after an old Mexican song, Cielito Lindo, popularized by Mariachis.

(1934) The Galley 2442 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90405. The Galley is the oldest bar/restaurant in Santa Monica, opened by Ralph Stephan in 1934 on Main Street, which until a few decades ago, before gentrification, was the city’s skid row. It became a hangout for many film stars of the 1930s and 1940s, including Errol Flynn, Carole Lombard, Edward G. Robinson, and Charles Laughton. It is dark, cozy, and eccentrically decorated with a nautical theme, including portholes for windows, fishing nets, lanterns, a captain’s wheel, bamboo and rattan furniture, sawdust on the floor, twinkling colored Christmas lights and many hidden nooks & crannies. Set decoration from the 1934 film Mutiny On the Bounty was donated by its actor Charles Laughton and a boat from the movie sits on the patio. The exterior is just as eclectic, with a boat and rowing mannequin hanging above the entrance, wood dock pilings and a vintage neon sign. The restaurant serves steak and sea food and has a reasonable happy hour. Stephan, who passed away in 1990, sold the bar the year before to “Captain” Ron Schur, who expanded the seating from 60 to 120, added the back patio and has owned it since.

(1937) Damon’s Steak House317 N Brand Blvd, Glendale, CA 91203. Damon’s Steak House was opened in 1937 on Central Avenue in Glendale by Loyal Damon, who sold his chain of Los Angeles candy stores to start a restaurant. The restaurant moved to this Brand Avenue location in 1980 and expanded upon the subtle South Seas theme of the original Damon’s. The interior took the tiki vibe to a new level with Polynesian inspired murals in the entrance, an outrigger canoe hanging from the ceiling, ratan covered walls, a vaulted thatched ceiling over the dining room and a massive aquarium with exotic fish. Specializing in traditional American steakhouse fare and tropical drinks, especially Chi Chis and Mai Tais.

(1937) Mitla Cafe602 N Mt Vernon Ave, San Bernardino, CA 92411. A landmark on Route 66, this Mexican cafe was opened in 1937 as a lunch counter by Lucia Rodriguez and expanded its size in the 1940s. Mitla is the oldest surviving Mexican restaurant in the Inland Empire and is still owned by Lucia’s grandchildren and great grandchildren at the same location. The exterior of Mitla is simple Spanish-style, with some river rock inlay. The interior still has a long wood laminate eating counter along with rust colored booths and tables, ceiling fans and old photographs. Apparently Glen Bell, who had opened Bell’s Hotdogs and Hamburgers across the street in 1950, “borrowed” Lucia’s taco recipe and began selling tacos himself in December 1951. Glen then opened several taco stands in the early ’50s and went on to open the first Taco Bell in Downey in 1962 using the same recipe.

(1938) The Derby Restaurant 233 Huntington Dr, Arcadia, CA 91006. The Derby restaurant was opened in 1938 on Huntington Drive, in Arcadia, CA, near the Santa Anita racetrack. It evolved out of the Proctor Tavern which opened in 1922 and moved to the location where the Derby now stands in 1931. Its owner was horse jockey George Woolfe, who was a national star and raced Seabiscuit. It is a serious steakhouse filled with cool old horse racing memorabilia, interior and exterior walls of brick, beamed wood ceilings and burgundy leather booths.

(1938) Du-par’s 6333 West Third Street, Los Angeles, CA 90036. Du-Par’s began as an nine-seat stall in the Original Farmer’s Market founded by James Dunn & Edward Parsons, who combined their last names to create the name Du-Par’s. Specializing in American comfort food, breakfasts and pies, it is located in a little house-like building, with white picket fence, on the southwest corner of the market. The interior features burgundy tufted booths, trimmed with dark wood, lantern-like light fixtures and deep crimson Oriental-style carpeting. The effect is comfortable and casually elegant, while still maintaining the original vintage feel. A much beloved Studio City branch ran from 1948 to 2017, and although several more branched were created over the years, only two additional locations remain, Pasadena and Las Vegas, both recently created.

(1938) Lawry’s The Prime Rib100 N. La Cienega Blvd.Beverly Hills, CA90211. Lawry’s Prime Rib was created in 1938 by Lawrence “Lawry” Frank and Walter Van de Kamp. The pair had previously opened the Tam O’Shanter Inn in Los Feliz in 1922, which also still operates today. Originally this fine dining restaurant served only one entree, prime rib, and was also known for its Yorkshire Pudding and its signature “spinning salad” prepared tableside, but now has a mixed menu. Lawry’s also claims to have been the first to premiere valet parking and the use of the take home “doggy bag.” In 1947, the restaurant moved across the street into a modernist building designed by Wayne MacAllister, known for his Googie coffee shop architecture, who designed Bob’s Big Boy restaurant in Burbank two years later in 1949. Lawry’s stayed at this location until 1993 when it moved back to its original site, in a newly constructed building. MacAllister’s 1947 building still stands, however, and is now occupied by the Stinking Rose, a garlic themed restaurant which originally debuted in 1991 in San Francisco. The interior of Lawry’s is white tablecloth elegant, with wood parquet floors, polished wood, chandeliers and understated art.

(1939) Harbor House Cafe 16341 Pacific Coast Highway, Sunset Beach, CA 90742. Harbor House Cafe opened as a restaurant in 1939, converted from a seaside beach cottage into a roadside diner. The exterior is wood sided with an awning and has a tall neon 1950s replica sign, which was likely installed in the 1970s or afterward. This 24-hour diner is open every day of the year, serving American classics and breakfasts with some Mexican items thrown in. The walls and ceilings are wood paneled and the interior is plastered filled with vintage memorabilia and framed movie posters covering every available space of the walls and the ceiling. Burgundy leather booths line the walls alongside a long wood laminate eating counter with matching burgundy high-backed stools. A second location was opened in Dana Point.

(1939) Newcomb’s RanchAngeles Crest Highway 2, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011. Originally built in 1939 this rustic roadhouse, at the snowline up mountainous Angeles Crest, was rebuilt after a 1976 fire. With a wooden exterior, pine board walls and a bar.

(1939) Pink’s Hot Dogs709 N La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90039. Pink’s Hot Dogs has stood on the corner of Melrose & La Brea in Los Angeles since 1949. It was originally started in 1939 by Paul & Betty Pink, who sold 10¢ chili dogs out of a pushcart at the same corner. Known for their long lines and sausages named after celebrities, the little shack is a true icon of the city. A small eating area has walls covered with framed actor’s headshots and there are outdoor eating tables in the back.

(1939) Sariñana’s Tamale Factory2216 W 5th St, Santa Ana, CA 92703. Sariñana’s Tamale Factory was opened in 1939 by Juan and Felipa Sariñana, immigrants from Durango, Mexico. Located in a tiny former house, painted with exterior murals and modernized with plastic signs, it is the oldest surviving Mexican restaurant in Orange County. Ordering is done at a counter and eaten at a choice of six interior picnic tables or two outside. Though its founders passed away in the late 1960s, it is still family owned, by the 5th and 6th generations of Juan and Felipa’s descendants. Serving Mexican food in the Durango style, Sariñana’s is particularly known for their tamales, though their homemade hot sauce is exceptional as well.

(1939) Sycamore Inn8318 E Foothill Blvd, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730.
Built on the spot of the Mountain View Inn, built in 1848, the location suffered fires and floods and was rebuilt several times. The current building, a two-level wooden structure with front porch, dates to 1921, built by German-born citrus rancher John Klusman. In its first few years, the basement served as a Prohibition defying speakeasy, while several rooms upstairs were used as a brothel. It became the Sycamore Inn restaurant in 1939, when bought and remodeled by Danish immigrant Irl Hinrichsen. Located on what once was Route 66 and now is Foothill Blvd, the restaurant is white tablecloth elegant, serving traditional steakhouse fare. The main dining room is dimly lit, with beamed ceilings and heavy leather chairs. An attached bar features burgundy leather semi-circular booths, antique stained glass lighting and a large stone fireplace. Both Marilyn Monroe and Betty Short (the Black Dahlia) are said to have been guests right before they each died.

(1939) Vince’s Market3250 Silver Lake Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039. Started as a small Italian market with deli case, Vince’s originally shared their space with a barber & beauty shop. In 1946 they took over the whole building and expanded their menu. With old school signs and funky exterior murals, they have an authentic neighborhood feel.

(1940) Centro Basco13432 Central Ave, Chino, CA 91710. Centro Basco, located in the San Bernardino County town of Chino, appears to be the oldest surviving Basque restaurant anywhere close to the Los Angeles area. The next oldest appears to be Continental Basque in Glendora, which opened in 1980. Centro Basco was opened as a Basque restaurant and boarding house in September 1940 by J.B. Robidart, a Basque businessman who helped guide and organize the local Chino Basque community, many of whom had immigrated to the Inland Empire to work tending sheep or milking cows in the area’s then-plentiful dairies and farms. In 1948 Robidart sold the property to Ben & Melanie Sallaberry, who ran it until 1970 and in turn sold it to Pierre and Monique Berterretche. Today it is run by their daughter, Bernadette Berterretche-Helton. The front bar area has a great casual vintage feel. With wood paneled walls and semi-circle tan colored booths, it was probably last remodeled in the 1960s. Another room features long tables for the traditional communal Basque dining experience, which is served “family style” over several courses with special dishes not found on the regular menu, such as oxtail stew, rabbit and blood sausage.

(1941) Polo Lounge9641 Sunset Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. Located inside the Beverly Hills Hotel, which was built in 1918, the Polo Lounge opened on July 11, 1941 in a space previously called El Jardin. Named for then-owner, Hernando Courtwright’s polo-playing friends, it was immediately a meeting place for Hollywood players and celebrities, which it remains to this day. The list of famous guests is impossibly long, but Charlie Chaplin, Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin Elizabeth Taylor, and Marlene Dietrich were among the many famous regulars. The interior lounge features dark green and white walls, tartan plaid carpets, horseshoe shaped booths and a long wooden bar, a look that is conservative, falling into no particular era. An outdoor eating area features white iron cafe chairs pulled up to tables shaded under white and green umbrellas. The menus are very expensive, serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, Sunday brunch and Afternoon Tea. Owned by the Sultan of Brunei since 1987, the hotel and Polo Lounge was actively boycotted, beginning in 2014, due to human rights persecution that the Sultan set into law in his own country.

(1941) Snug Harbor2323 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90403. Opened in 1941 by Frank Leight, Snug Harbor is a small, authentic early 1940s diner on Wilshire Blvd in Santa Monica with a small laminate counter and a few booths. Now on its third owner, the vintage appearance and integrity stays much the same, despite changing times and a bit of a remodel here and there. Serving basic America breakfasts, lunch and soda fountain treats, it closes at 3pm every day.

(1943) Carrillo’s Tortilleria1242 Pico St, San Fernando, CA 91340. Carrillo’s is a small self-serve style restaurant that grew out of a family owned hand made tortilla factory started by Guadalupe Carrillo and her husband Emilio in 1943. Since 1964 it has been owned by their daughter, Amelia Carrillo Luna and her husband Epigmenio. Located on a side street in San Fernando, CA, in a nondescript building with a plastic sign, the inside is simple, yet cozy, with an exposed brick wall, polished concrete floors, plastic molded booths, a few tables and festive Mexican-themed murals covering the walls. A display case sells a few grocery items, but an extensive eat-in menu serves Mexican breakfasts and combination dinners. They are especially known for their tamales, menudo & homemade tortillas.

(1943) Twohey’s1224 N Atlantic Blvd, Alhambra, CA 91801. Twohey’s on the corner of Atlantic & Huntington Drive in Alhambra originally opened in Pasadena in 1943. This coffee shop/hamburger joint moved to Alhambra in the 1950s. Its current building was built in 1977. The logo “Little Stink-o,” with a clothes pin on his nose and tears down his face, was created in 1943 when the owner, Jack Twohey, heard a lady exclaim, “Oh Stinko” about the hamburger of the guy beside her, loaded with onions & pickles. (Losing their lease at this location. Set to relocate soon.)

(1944) Art’s Chili Dog 1410 W Florence Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90047. Art’s Chili Dogs is a small, but notable hot dog shack that has been located in South Central L.A. on Florence Avenue, near Normandie, since 1944. Opened originally several blocks to the West in 1939 by New York-born Art Elkind, the tiny stand serves up long revered chili hot dogs and chili tamales, with very few other menu options. A handful of interior stools with an eating counter, a take out window and a plastic menu board are all that occupy the small space, along with some black & white framed historic photos on the wall. An outdoor eating area with a few picnic tables is set up in the back next to the small parking area. Art died in 1990, after being a South Central fixture for over 50 years. He did not live to see the beginning of the L.A. Riots, which started on the corner near his restaurant in 1992.

(1945) Barone’s Pizzeria13726 Oxnard St, Valley Glen, CA 91401. Barone’s was first opened in 1945 on Ventura Blvd in Sherman Oaks by a group of siblings from Buffalo, NY. They took over the building of a former restaurant, Barto’s, and because altering the sign was cheaper than buying a new one, named it after the sister with the closest name, business partner Josephine Barone. Specializing in square cut pizza with Monterey Jack cheese, instead of Mozzarella, they relocated the restaurant in 2006 to the former space of the defunct Old Heidelberg, built in 1958. The interior is immaculately retained with dark wood walls, stained glass, carved beamed ceilings and knobby wood room dividers. An attached lounge area features a red leather padded bar and often live entertainment. The Old Heidelberg, once a German restaurant, was a location for a dinner/date scene in the movie “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” and is still recognizable as such.

(1945) Nate ‘n Al414 N Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. Nate ‘n Al was opened in 1945 by Russian born Al Mendelson and Nate Rimer, who met in Detroit and relocated to Beverly Hills to start a classic Jewish delicatessen. Originally their Beverly Drive location started with a deli counter and a few tables and only held 30 customers, but it became popular with the Hollywood film crowd and expanded shortly afterward, becoming known as a “show biz” hangout. The front of the otherwise nondescript building features the restaurant name in large orange letters, probably added in the 1960s or 1970s. The interior has a standard coffee shop layout with brown leather booths, wood laminate tables, dividers made of wood paneling and a long glass deli case. Today, Nate’n Al is operated by Mendelson’s grandsons, Mark and David.

(1946) Billingsley’s11326 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064. Steakhouse opened in 1946 by Glenn Billingsley, a prolific Los Angeles restaurateur who was married to Leave it to Beaver Mom, Barbara Billingsley, from 1941-1947. It was originally called Billingsley’s Golden Bull and is said to be one of six other Golden Bull restaurants owned by Billingsley along with three Outrigger Polynesian locations. In 1974 Glenn and Barbara’s sons, Glenn Jr and Drew, bought the restaurant from their father. Dark wood & red leather booths. A 2016 remodel took away their classic plastic vintage sign.

(1946) Chili John’s2018 W Burbank Blvd, Burbank, CA 91506. Chili John’s got its start in Green Bay, Wisconsin, opened by Lithuanian immigrant John Isaac in 1913. The popularity of that restaurant and its unusual combination of serving its famous chili on top of a bed of spaghetti noodles, inspired Isaac’s son, Ernie, to open a second Chili John’s branch in Burbank in 1946. The location is a true vintage throwback; a diner with white-washed brick walls, a U-shaped wood laminate counter, bright orange vinyl counter stools and a long rustic mural of mountains, sky and water. The exterior is old fashioned as well, with an entrance on the building’s rounded corner, vintage signs and hand painted lettering. Keeping true to its roots and serving only chili items, the restaurant has been owned since by the LoGuercio family since 1990.

(1946) Chris & Pitts9839 Artesia Blvd, Bellflower, CA 90706. Amazing signage and a faux log cabin painted exterior It is among only 3 remaining restaurants of a BBQ chain that once included over 20 locations, all over Southern California. The chain was started in 1940 by Chris Pelonis, the son of a Greek immigrant. He scraped up $200 to start a business and the first location (now gone) was in Lynwood. The other remaining locations are on Lakewood Ave in Downey (opened 1953) and on Washington Blvd in Whittier. This location was the 4th location opened. Inside is casual, authentic & old school, with burgundy leather booths, a counter to eat at, original red linoleum floors, wood paneled walls & tons of country kitsch, including shot guns & taxidermy. There is a walk-up pick-up window out front.

(1946) Clearman’s Steak ‘n Stein9545 E Whittier Blvd, Pico Rivera, CA 90660.
Old European-themed kitschy steak house with a circular stone fireplace, dark red colors, wood, chandeliers and stained glass. The owner, John Foley Clearman, was a creative man who seemed to want to be noticed. Born in New York City in 1906 and raised in Coronado, California, he graduated from Yale in 1929 with a degree in theater. A trained Shakespearean actor, Clearman spent several years during the Great Depression on the road with traveling productions. He once was quoted as saying, “A good restaurant has a longer run than a good play” and abruptly changed career paths to reinvent himself as a restaurant owner. In 1946, at age 40, he opened his first restaurant, Clearman’s Steak ‘n Stein. He also went on to create the The Magic Lamp (1955), and the fabulous Clearman’s Northwoods Inns (1966 and 1967).

(1946) Gus’s Barbecue808 Fair Oaks Ave, South Pasadena, CA 91030.
Opened on Fair Oaks Ave in South Pasadena in 1946 by three relatives from Cleveland, Ohio and was named after the eldest one, Gus. The location had previously been a diner called Hamburger Macs. The interior was tastefully renovated with a vintage slant in 2007, but the neon sign out front is original. It now belongs to two brothers who also own another Pasadena vintage restaurant, the Original Tops.

(1946) Hot ‘n Tot2347 Pacific Coast Hwy, Lomita, CA 90717. Hot ‘n Tot restaurant opened on Pacific Coast Highway in Lomita, CA in 1946. This diner has been remodeled over the years, but still has a classic feel, including a counter with attached olive green leather stools, brown booths, ceiling fans and long plate glass windows.

(1946) Jolly Jug4264 Peck Road, El Monte, CA 91732. Opened in 1946 on Peck Road in El Monte, the only history I could find about this place was a second hand anecdote. Apparently this restaurant was opened by a Jewish woman who had relocated from New York with a deli attitude in mind. This woman ran it until about 1996 when she sold it to the current owner, Margaret, an immigrant from Hong Kong, who kept most of the original recipes and added a few new ones. Situated in a freestanding house with spectacular original signage, white sideboard, brick trim and a shingled roof, one half is an vintage diner and the other side is a dive-type bar. The walls are wood paneled, the floor green linoleum and the booths tan leather with wood laminate tables. The decor is a mish mash of 1970s knick knacks, beer signs and country kitsch. Serving American food and specializing in pastrami sandwiches.

(1946) Nick’s Coffee Shop8536 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90035. This little diner has stayed quite true to its 1946 roots with minimal change. Probably the last remodel, thankfully, occurred in the 1960s. In front of walls cluttered with framed photos of family members, friends and patrons, stand dark worn rust colored booths with wood laminate tables, a pitched drop down ceiling and a long eating counter with tufted high-back stools running alongside the smoking griddle. Stained glass chandeliers and ceiling fans hang above, and a feeling of unpretentious comfort pervades. With an extensive menu featuring American diner classics and open for breakfast and lunch, this greasy spoon is the kind of place that modern coffee shops try to replicate. The original Googie-type sign out front and the bright yellow circus-like original exterior only add to the perfect ambience.

(1946) Original Tommy’s Hamburgers 2575 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90057. This first location of the well-known hamburger chain, located on the corner of Beverly and Rampart Streets was founded in 1946 by Tom Koulax, an Oklahoma born son of Greek immigrants. Serving a limited menu of hamburgers, fries, hot dogs, tamales and breakfasts, this popular walk-up stand eventually expanded to over 30 Southern California locations. The tiny shack, with its iconic neon and bulb arrow sign perched on the shingled roof has both order and pick-up windows. Tommy died in 1992 and the chain is still run by his family.

(1946) Paul’s Kitchen1012 S San Pedro St, Los Angeles, CA 90015. Chinese-American food served in a neighborhood that was once called City Market Chinatown, a working man’s area of several square blocks that popped up after L.A.’s original Chinatown was razed in the 1930s to built Union Station. The Chinese element in the neighborhood began to fade in the 1970s. Owned by the nephew of the restaurant’s original owner, Paul, it is one of only two Chinese businesses left in the neighborhood. The interior features two rooms with brown vinyl booths, wood laminate tables, a long faux wood grain counter, hanging globe lamps, Chinese window shades and a plethora of Dodgers memorabilia. In fact Tommy Lasorda became a regular customer beginning in the 1970s.

(1946) Pecos Bill’s BBQ1551 Victory Blvd, Glendale, CA 91201. Pecos Bill’s BBQ is a tiny, authentic BBQ shack with a take-out window serving a limited meat-centic menu consisting of meat sandwiches and sides of baked beans and coleslaw. Opened in 1946 by Bill Stenzel who was born in Pecos, Texas and came to California in the 1940s, it is now owned by his grandson, Owen. Open 11-3pm, Thursday through Sunday, ordering is done from a window in the tiny building, while a few picnic tables sit on the sidewalk, under a hand painted sign.

(1946) The Smoke House Restaurant 4420 Lakeside Dr, Burbank 91505.
Across the street from Warner Bros studios, the Smoke House opened in 1946 on the corner of Pass and Riverside Ave as a 46-seat restaurant. Popular and frequented by celebrities, such as Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, in 1949 the restaurant decided to expand and moved down the street to its present location, the former Red Coach Inn. In 1955 the restaurant’s current building was constructed around the old one, designed by Wayne McAllister and his partner William Wagner. Though McAllister was a leader in Googie architecture, having designed nearby Bob’s Big Boy, this building was done in the Tudor Revival style, with a chateau-like feel. The interior is large, with several dining areas and a cozy mid-century lounge. With beamed ceilings and amazing original exterior neon signs, deep burgundy leather tufted booths, interior walls made of brick, shingles, paneled wood and covered with old photos, this restaurant breathes history. Because of its proximity to the studio across the street, the list of celebrity regulars and patrons is extremely long. Serving American steakhouse fare, the menu is heavy on the meat selections, but is also well known for its cheesy bread.

(1946) Vince’s Spaghetti1206 W Holt Blvd, Ontario, CA 91762. Vince’s opened in 1945 as a six-stool French Dip sandwich stand by Vince Cuccia and his two brothers, who relocated to California from Chicago after World War 2. The restaurant lore states that the kitchenless stand began serving spaghetti soon after a customer inquired about the home-brought spaghetti lunch a Cuccia family member was eating. A kitchen was soon built and spaghetti became the menu mainstay. The long building has been expanded four times over the years and eventually evolved into a 425-seat business. By 1968 it was advertised as the largest spaghetti restaurant west of the Mississippi River. An amazing original mid-century neon sign still stands out front. The interior is casually vintage with many individual rooms, some with wood paneled walls others with brick. Eating areas have either dark green leather booths or faux wood laminate tables, while the floor is a deep red linoleum and ceilings are beamed wood. Spaghetti servings are massive, topped with optional grated mozzarella. A Torrance location operated from 1973 to 2014, a Rancho Cucamonga location opened in 1984 and a Temecula location in 2003.

(1946) Walker’s Cafe700 W Paseo Del Mar, San Pedro, CA 90731. Classic vintage family-run dive cafe, a biker favorite, opened by Bessie and Ray Walker and owned by their son, Richard since 1996. Located on an ocean side cliff, the building itself dates to about 1913, when it was used as a station at the end of the Red Car streetcar line. The interior has original 1940s linoleum floors, wood paneled walls and is full of kitschy knick knacks. They accept cash only.

(1947) A-1 Imported Groceries348 W 8th St, San Pedro, CA 90731. A-1 Imported Groceries opened in 1947 on 8th St in San Pedro, CA. This Italian market and deli specializes in sandwiches, but also has pasta dishes. The exterior features a river rock entrance wall, a plastic sign that likely dates to the 1960s and an awning trimmed with siding in the colors of the Italian flag. The interior is a small crowded grocery store with wood paneled walls and a long vintage glass deli case filled with meats, cheeses, olives and various Italian dishes.

(1947) The Apple Pan10801 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064. Classic burger & pie diner in a small house with white sideboard and original neon signs. A popular and beloved restaurant, there is nearly always a wait for the U-shaped counter and the 26 red leather stools around it. Opened by Ellen and Alan Barker in April 1947 and now run by their daughter and granddaughter, the menu has 11 food items and hasn’t changed since the business was surrounded by farms and fruit orchards.

(1947) The Great White Hut121 W California Ave, Glendale, CA 91203.
Tiny, longtime corner burger & taco stand with stool seating. Painted with retro themes. The Great White Hut is a tiny hamburger and taco stand that has held its place on a corner in Glendale since 1947. With stool seating and painted with retro themes (a full size mural of James Dean always fools me into thinking it is a real person as I walk by), it is a rare slice of the past in this neighborhood where the old keeps being replaced with the new.

(1947) Hawkins House of Burgers11603 Slater St, Los Angeles, CA 90059. This burger stand, located in Watts across from the Nickerson Gardens housing project, was initially started out of a grocery store opened by James Henry Hawkins. Born in 1911 to a poor Arkansas family, his 1991 obituary in the Los Angeles Times reported that he came to Los Angeles in 1942 as part of the 2nd Great Black Migration, riding on a mule. He then worked as a truck driver to save enough money to build a malt shop and grocery store at this location in 1947. The Hawkins family, which included 14 children, began flipping burgers from a street food stand and merged it with the grocery store into Hawkins House of Burgers. Now run by granddaughter Cynthia Hawkins, the burger shop is located in a little storefront with takeout counter service and tables to eat at in a covered area outside. Serving hamburgers, chicken and waffles, wings, catfish and more, they also open early for breakfast.

(1947) Langer’s Delicatessan704 S Alvarado St, Los Angeles, CA 90057. Respected Jewish deli, opened by New Jersey born Al Langer in 1947, across the street from MacArthur Park. Originally called the Famous Deli when purchased by Langer, it was a small 12 restaurant which he expanded to the current 135 seats by 1968. Well celebrated for its pastrami sandwiches, the lines at lunchtime often extend down the block. Al passed away in 2007 and the restaurant is now owned and operated by his son, Norm. Both the interior and exterior have kept their original appearance with vintage signs and incredible mid-century orange, yellow and brown tile on the wall behind the deli counter. Booths are brown leather with wood laminate tables and knobby wood room dividers.

(1947) Santa Fe Importers1401 Santa Fe Ave, Long Beach, CA 90813. Opened in 1947 on Santa Fe Avenue in Long Beach, CA by Sicilian born Vincent Passanisi. It is still owned by his grandchildren today. This market and Sicilian deli serves take-out sandwiches and Italian meals. It has an old fashioned exterior but remodeled interior with stools and counter eating. Inside is a regular, small food market with full glass deli counter and an ordering window.

(1947) Valley Inn Restaurant4557 Sherman Oaks Ave, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403. The Valley Inn is an old school steakhouse opened in 1947 by Jim Otto on Sherman Oaks Ave in Sherman Oaks, CA. The building was designed in 1945 by architect Roger Winston Bray and for its first two years functioned as an electric light store. Jim Otto’s name once stood in big neon letters on the cobbled pitched roof, where the Valley Inn sign stands today. Unfortunately the neon in the sign was recently replaced with plastic lit letters. The exterior has an entrance way bordered by wooden columns and is trimmed with wrought iron and hanging lanterns. The dining room is white table cloth elegant and features round black leather booths, an embossed ceiling, plenty of dark hardwood and framed art work. An attached separate pub area is entered through saloon-style doors and has a classic wooden and brass bar, with walls covered with vintage sports memorabilia.

(1948) Cindy’s Eagle Rock1500 Colorado Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90041. Cindy’s Coffee Shop opened on Colorado Blvd in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Eagle Rock in 1948, when it was still Route 66. It has had many owners over the years, the latest taking helm in 2014, but has kept the original vintage interior and exterior intact. The building is long and low, in a true late ’40s roadhouse fashion, with mid-century signs that have been refreshed over the years, but never ruined. The interior has bright orange booths and counter seats, complimented by walls that are currently bright green and retro-style lighting fixtures.iner with orange leather booths & stools, vintage lighting and restored original signs.

(1948) Claro’s1003 E Valley Blvd, San Gabriel, CA 91776. Original location of authentic family owned Italian market and deli chain that now total six stores. The building was constructed in 1937 and hasn’t had a major renovation since 1962. Opened by Joe Claro and his wife Mary in 1948 on Valley Blvd in San Gabriel. It is a tried & true old fashioned Italian Market with a deli counter that serves classic Italian dishes, freshly made cold cut sandwiches, antipasto and other salads. There is also a bakery with Italian cookies, bread and cannoli. The inside hasn’t been updated much and has original concrete floors and wooden trellises hanging with plastic grapes. A second Claro’s opened in Arcadia in 1971, followed by four more stores in La Habra, Covina, Tustin & Upland. The stores are still run by Joe Claro’s grandchildren and their families.

(1948) Domingo’s Italian Deli17548 Ventura Blvd, Encino, CA 91316. Market selling Italian products and deli food. Serves sandwiches, antipasti and Italian desserts in a room with a few eat-in tables and an outdoor patio. Although its has been somewhat modernized it still has a genuine feel.

(1948) Factor’s Famous Deli9420 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90035. This Jewish Deli was opened by Esther Factor in 1948 on Pico Blvd in Los Angeles. Bought by Cleveland-born Herman Markowitz in 1969, who added the “famous” to the restaurant’s name, it has been run by his family since the 1970s. Remodeled and expanded a bit over the years, with booth-style seating, walls of sports and movie poster memorabilia, brick, laminate wood, long glass deli cases and a retro ’70s appearing sign out front, it serves classic Jewish deli cuisine.

(1948) Nick’s Cafe1300 N. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90012. Nick’s Cafe on Spring Street near Chinatown in L.A. is an old-school authentic roadhouse-style diner with wood paneled walls. It thankfully hasn’t been touched in decades. Opened in 1948 it has a single U-shaped counter with seats & serves only breakfast & lunch.

(1948) Roma Deli6449 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91606. Old school Italian deli, now on its third owner, serving big sandwiches, pizza and Italian food, plus cannoli. Exterior has a vintage river rock front and a slight castle-like appearance. Inside has a very basic, no-frills eating area, but has enormous Roman-themed paintings randomly leaning up against the walls. Not connected to the Pasadena Roma Market.

(1949) Bill’s Taco House219 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90011. Small South Los Angeles fast food taco shop with molded laminate seating and a vintage sign out front. Opened by a man named Bill, it was one of the very first places to begin serving patty-style ground beef in a taco (called Cheeseburger Taco). The counter service restaurant is decorated with murals depicting famous moments in the civil rights movement. It has only had 3 owners and has been owned by a Korean woman named Eva Man since just after the 1992 LA riots.

(1949) Bob’s Big Boy4211 W Riverside Dr, Burbank, CA 91505. Oldest remaining branch of the burger chain. It was designed by architect Wayne McAllister in what became known as the Googie style. The chain originally opened in 1936 as a 10-stool hamburger stand on Colorado Blvd in Glendale under the name “Bob’s Pantry.”

(1949) El Sarape4023 Market Street, Riverside, CA 92501. El Sarape is a casual Mexican restaurant opened in 1949 by Robert Palma on Market Street in Riverside. In a low whitewashed brick building, the exterior is authentic, and includes the restaurant’s original neons sign, including a cactus and bull, as well as a solitary lantern by the door. With tufted red leather booths and dark wood laminate tables, the paintings adorning the walls were created by the first owner as well, who was also an artist. A 1972 fire destroyed several of Palma’s original murals, but he recreated the restaurant and owned it for decades after that. It is currently owner by Helen Garcia.

(1949) Miceli’s1646 N Las Palmas Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028. The oldest Italian restaurant in Hollywood; brick, red leather, hanging chianti bottles & a piano bar. It has been owned by the same family since 1949. Many of the architectural elements inside were snagged from other historical Los Angeles places that went out of business.

(1949) Patsy D’Amore’s Pizza6333 W 3rd St #448, Los Angeles, CA 90036. Italian food stand in the Original Farmer’s Market still run by Patsy’s daughter. He then ran the legendary Villa Capri in Hollywood which lasted from 1950-1982.

(1950) Golden Bull Restaurant170 W Channel Rd, Santa Monica, CA 90402.
Vintage steakhouse opened in 1950 with burgundy leather booths and original sign. The building itself seems to become a restaurant in 1932, when a kitchen was added to an existing store which was built in 1922. The Golden Bull was a chain of SoCal steakhouses opened by Glenn Billingsley, the husband of “Leave It To Beaver” actress Barbara, who played the Mom. It was one of 7 Golden Bulls and 3 Outrigger Polynesian restaurants that Glenn opened beginning in the late 1940s. Only 2 survive- one in Santa Monica, still called the Golden Bull (1950) & another in West L.A., once called Billingsley’s Golden Bull (1946), now just called Billingsley’s.

(1951) Bamboo Inn2005 W 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90057. Opened in 1951, this well-worn diner-style Chinese eatery is the 2nd oldest surviving Chinese restaurant in the whole greater L.A. & Orange County area. The longest running one to my current knowledge is Paul’s Kitchen, 1946. This place is small and extremely authentic. It has not been remodeled & still has the original wood paneled walls, burgundy booths and wood laminate tables. The prices are even from another era, with lunch specials under $5 and generous servings. The food is classic mid-century American Chinese cuisine, nothing groundbreaking, just simple & old fashioned.

(1951) El Patio Cafe34226 Doheny Park Rd, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624. Brightly colored, quaintly decorated cafe serving classic Mexican food that was opened by Lucy Saunderson in 1951. Lucy got her start at a Greek restaurant, where she convinced the owner to let her take over for a few days a week. She eventually took over the business with a friend as Alice & Lucy’s restaurant and then it became just Lucy’s. When the location was demolished to build a freeway, Lucy moved the business and started El Patio Cafe in 1951. Located in a small bungalow with a great vintage sign, the interior has pink walls and a long pink eating counter. Currently owned by Lucy’s son, Jack, who took over the business in 1989.

(1951) The Hat1 W Valley Blvd, Alhambra, CA 91801 The Hat opened in 1951 as a small corner burner stand in Alhambra, selling 25¢ hamburgers, 5¢ cups of coffee and piled-high pastrami sandwiches. Though the original owner and the restaurant’s early history seems lost to time, it is known that the stand was set to be demolished for a shopping plaza in 1981, but was bought and rescued by Ronald “Corky” Conzonire and his brother, Joe, then-owners of five Belly Buster sandwich shops. Still owned by the Conzonire family, the stand has expanded to a small local chain of 11 restaurants. The first Alhambra spot features the location’s original neon sign with its iconic chef’s hat, updated and renovated over the years, bright yellow 1960s plastic signs, and ordering from take-out and pick-up windows. A covered area with built-in vintage picnic tables allows customers to eat on-site.

(1952) Ernie’s Mexican Restaurant4410 Lankershim Blvd, N. Hollywood, CA 91602. Opened in 1952 by Ernie and Albina Cruz as the second location to an Ernie’s Mexican they opened in 1944 in Lincoln Heights. The family also operated two additional Ernie’s Jr restaurants in Eagle Rock (1950-2014) and Pasadena (1955-1998). This classic mid-century North Hollywood restaurant is the only surviving location and has two dining areas and a bar. The interior is dimly lit with burgundy leather booths, knobby wooden room dividers, stained glass chandeliers, wood laminate tables and plenty of wrought iron and Mexican decorative elements. The exterior has vintage signs and tile work.

(1952) Giuliano’s 1138 W Gardena Blvd, Gardena, CA 90247. Family owned Italian market and deli in a building constructed in 1947, with an outdoor eating area. opened on Gardena Blvd in Gardena in 1952 by Frances and Gaetano Giuliano. Although the inside has been remodeled over the years, the traditional glass cold cut and Italian food cases still reflect its past. Several Giuliano descendants still work at this location. The deli is known for its Torpedo Sandwich. Serving Italian sandwiches, pizza, pasta and fresh baked goods.

(1952) Johnnie’s Pastrami4017 Sepulveda Blvd, Culver City, CA 90230. Famous pastrami shack serving American fast food take-out style. The small interior is reminiscent of a ’50s diner, with a wood laminate counter and a handful of tables with booth seating. They are long known for having a vintage jukebox on each table filled with oldies. The exterior has an amazing original neon sign, and additional picnic table seating with fire pits.

(1952) Josie’s Place16616 S Normandie Ave, Gardena, CA 90247. Opened on Normandie Ave in Gardena in 1952. It is a small little shack with a take-out counter, wood paneled walls and a small display case of knick knacks. They specialize in authentic Mexican food. The little shack was built in 1940.

(1952) Manuel’s Original El Tepeyac Cafe 812 N Evergreen Ave, L.A., CA 90033. Opened by Manuel Rojas and now run by his daughter, Elena, and grandchildren. Casual Boyle Heights neighborhood Mexican cafe with counter known for their massive burrito, called The Hollenbeck; vintage exterior river rock front & original sign.

(1952) Steven’s Steakhouse5332 East Stevens Place, Commerce, CA 90040.
Steven’s Steak House is a classic, old-school steakhouse with spectacular signs, tan colored leather booths, beveled glass & a vintage bar. Though the interior decorations and furniture have been remodeled over the years, the feel is a mish mash of mid-century meets gaudy ’80s, a definite time warp. Food is mid-century as well, large slabs of steak, some seafood choices, the typical iceberg salads and pasta with marina sauce.

(1952) Tony’s on the Pier210 Fishermans Wharf, Redondo Beach, CA 90277. Opened with a small shack on the Redondo Beach pier in 1952 and redesigned and rebuilt between 1961-63 by the owner, an ex-fisherman named Tony Trutanich. It is an amazing mid-century landmark, with panoramic ocean views, tables with built-in fireplaces and an octagonal crow’s nest bar on top. The interior has a lot of wood, brick, vintage decor and lighting, original tables and chairs, and cool headshots of celebrities (mostly from the 1960s- ’70s) who have visited over the years. The exterior is two levels with amazing vintage signs on both sides. Tony passed away in 2007 and his widow now owns the restaurant. Known for their Mai Tai’s and seafood, the vintage beauty of this place is worth saving. There are no heirs that want to take over this gorgeous place, so visit while you can.

(1952) Tuxie’s6030 Magnolia Ave, Riverside, CA 92506. Tuxie’s Drive-In opened 1952 on Magnolia Ave in Riverside, CA. Once a walk-up hamburger restaurant, it is now a taco and juice shop under the same name. Located in a little hut of a building with take-out windows, a covered area with built-in picnic tables allows for sit down eating. A great neon sign dates to 1955.

(1953) Chris & Pitts9243 Lakewood Blvd, Downey, CA 90240. One of among only 3 remaining restaurants of a BBQ chain that once included over 20 locations, all over Southern California. The chain was started in 1940 by Chris Pelonis, the son of a Greek immigrant. He scraped up $200 to start a business and the first location (now gone) was in Lynwood. The other remaining locations are on Artesia Blvd in Bellflower (opened 1946) and on Washington Blvd in Whittier. This location was the 6th location opened. Inside is casual, authentic & old school, with moss green colored leather booths, a wooden counter to eat at, brick floors, wood paneled walls and ceiling & tons of country kitsch. There is a pick-up window just inside for To-Go orders.

(1953) Chronis Famous Sandwich Shop5825 Whittier Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90022. Walk-up sandwich stand in business since 1945. At this location since 1953. Original sign.

(1953) El Paseo Inn11 Olvera St, Los Angeles, CA 900121. This Mexican restaurant opened in 1930 at another location on Olvera Street, but was purchased by Elena Peluffo and Frank Webb and in 1957 it moved to its present location. The building was constructed as Pelanconi Winery, operating from 1870-1914, and was then remodeled into the restaurant Café Caliente. The space originally possessed a large central dance floor which featured Mexican traditional dancers and a Latin orchestra, but that was eventually removed. The current interior features beamed ceilings, painted brick walls, a long bar and contains a mural-sized painting made by artist Rubén Lara Campos in 1946. Cesar Chavez was a guest as well as later on Bill Clinton. An exterior brick patio has tables with black iron cafe chairs, good for people watching on Olvera Street. The restaurant was bought by Andy Camacho in 1984.

(1953) Larry’s Chili Dog3122 W Burbank Blvd, Burbank, CA 91505. Larry’s Chili Dog stand opened in 1953. It is a little hut with take-out windows serving several varieties of hot dogs and toppings along with a limited burger, salad and sandwich menu. Outdoor patio seating is available. The incredible original vintage sign is unique, featuring a reclining dog inside a hotdog bun. When the sign is lit, the dog appears to wag its tail

(1953) McDonald’s10207 Lakewood Blvd, Downey, CA 90241. The oldest working location of the fast food chain. The original architecture is unchanged; an incredible animated neon sign of their first mascot, Speedee, was added in 1959.

(1953) Mickey’s101 Hermosa Ave, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254. Mickey’s Italian Delicatessen was opened in 1953 in Hermosa Beach by Michael “Mickey” Mance, a 22-year old Korean War veteran who had just returned from service. It was the first authentic Italian market and deli in the South Bay and today is owned by Mickey’s son, Paul. Serving Italian sandwiches, pizza and pasta from the deli counter in a convenient market setting, the deli has communal tables and additional outdoor seating, Unfortunately some of the great vintage signs were recently replaced with modern ones, but luckily some of the exterior vintage detail remains.

(1953) Taylor’s Steakhouse3361 W 8th St, Los Angeles, CA 90005. Began as a Los Angeles pub with the name Taylor’s Tavern, it opened in 1953. It was originally located on the corner of Olympic & Western, but moved to its present location on 8th and Ardmore in the L.A. neighborhood Koreatown in 1970. Still owned by the son of the original founders, the interior of this mid-century steakhouse is like a step back in time. Dark inside, even on L.A.’s brightest afternoons, its deep brown wood, burgundy semi-circular leather booths and brick walls give the suggestion of martinis and film noir. A long wooden bar of black tufted leather enables you to complete this request.

(1954) The Bear Pit10825 Sepulveda Blvd, Mission Hills, CA 91345.
If you’re looking for traditional barbeque that seems to harken back to another time and place, visit The Bear Pit in Mission Hills. This vintage restaurant has been in business since the 1940s, but moved to this location from Newhall in 1954 when country singer Tennessee Ernie Ford was its original endorser in ads. With saw dust on the floors, wagon wheel-shaped light fixtures, wooden beamed ceilings and kitschy paintings of friendly bears parading across the walls, its a cozy throwback to long ago. Its menu is obviously meat-centric with the standard BBQ side options: baked beans, coleslaw, fries and their much lauded garlic bread.

(1954) Capri Deli713 E San Bernardino Rd, Covina, CA 91723. This Italian grocery store and deli was opened in 1954 by former heavyweight boxer Vince DiMaggio. Lined with old glass deli cases, filled with meats, cheeses, olives and salads, there has been a bit of modernization, but luckily the old red brick polished floor remains and the vibe has stayed true to its roots. Ordering is done by counter, with a separate eating area filled with tables and chairs available. Now run by Vince’s sons, Vic and John, sandwiches are still made with the same sesame-crusted 12-inch Frisco Bakery rolls Vince DiMaggio used when he opened the deli, and pizza and salads are available as well.

(1954) Colombo’s Italian Steakhouse1833 Colorado Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90041. Colombo’s restaurant serves old school 1950s Italian food, going back to when this part of Eagle Rock was an Italian neighborhood. Opened in 1954 on Colorado Blvd by Sam Colombo and his wife Ann, it is now run by their nephew, Vic Parrino. Featuring live jazz bands and vocalists, the dimly lit dining room has red leather semi-circular booths, wood paneled walls, iron chandeliers, red velvet drapes and vintage paintings hanging in gold colored frames, while an attached bar is paneled in faux wood and upholstered in more red leather. The exterior is a classic mid-century restaurant building, boxy with brick trim, and featuring a wood shingled roof. Murals are painted on the outside wall, near a small outdoor eating area.

(1954) Domenico’s Italian Restaurant5339 E 2nd St, Long Beach, CA 90803. Dimly lit with red leather booths, dark wood and stained glass. Great neon signs. This is the oldest surviving full service restaurant in Long Beach.

(1954) Petrillo’s833 E Valley Blvd, San Gabriel, CA 91776. Classic pizza parlor serving Italian dishes. An amazing vintage exterior, with several cool signs. Teir interior is partially remodeled, but still has black leather booths and a cool, kitschy trellis with stained glass lamps overhanging them to make it feel old school authentic.

(1954) Ramona’s Mexican Food Products6900 S San Pedro St, Los Angeles, CA 90003. Opened in 1954 on San Pedro St in a rough around the edges part of Huntington Park. Serving fast food Mexican food take-out style, this place always has huge lines and is a neighborhood favorite. The restaurant got its start in 1947 out of a house at Temple & Beaudry before moving to this location in ’54 and opening another in 1962 on Western Ave in Gardena. The interior here has been completely modernized, but it still has a somewhat vintage exterior and old school plastic signs.

(1955) Casa Bianca Pizza Pie1650 Colorado Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90041. Opened in 1955 by the Martorana family, who had just relocated to Los Angeles from Chicago, it is still run by their children today. A comfortable and busy pizza and pasta restaurant with affordable prices, there is nearly always a long wait for a table. The exterior has amazing original neon signs and the interior has a casual old school vibe, with green leather booths, stained glass chandeliers, hard wood floors, red & white checked table clothes.

(1955) El Charro3741 N Verdugo Rd, Montrose, CA 91020. Originally opened in as a four table, eight stool restaurant in 1955 at another location in Montrose, owners John & Grace Chagolla moved it to its present, larger, Verdugo Road location in 1960. The sauces were recipes that Grace had learned growing up in Texas. The interior is decidedly vintage, with wood paneled walls, knobby wood booth dividers, olive green leather booths and Mexican lanterns hang from a drop ceiling.

(1955) Hof’s Hut2147 N Bellflower Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90815. The only vintage location left of Hof’s Hut, a popular chain of Long Beach restaurants opened by Harold Hofman in 1951, beginning with a now defunct Bixby Knolls location. By 1975 the chain had 9 locations, but today there are only three remaining- Los Alamitos (opened in the 1990s in the 1977 space of the first Claim Jumper restaurant), Torrance (opened mid-1980s) and this location, all now run by Harold’s son Craig. Serving homey, American classic food, breakfasts and pie, the interior has been remodeled over the years in an updated “retro” style with tile floors and walls, modern lighting fixtures and booths.

(1955) Fox’s2352 N Lake Ave, Altadena, CA 91001. Quaint, family owned cafe serving breakfast and brunch in a small house. Cool original fox sign out front. (Original owner retired and it was closed for many months. Reopened in mid-2018 with a modern remodel and different owners.)

(1955) Magic Lamp Inn8189 E Foothill Blvd, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730. Opened in 1955 by eccentric restauranteur John Clearman, who modeled it on his Pico Rivera Steak ‘n Stein which he opened in 1946. Clearman went on to create the Northwoods Inn, Clearman’s Galley and the long gone Golden Cock. Located on Route 66, it was formerly the location of a restaurant called Lucy and John’s opened in 1941, which was destroyed by fire in 1955. It has had only three owners in its 65 years, Clearman from 1955-1975, Anthony Vernola from 1975-2012 and currently Sartaj Singh. This traditional steakhouse was done in the Old World style with planked wood walls and ceiling, red leather booths, stained glass, a circular brick fireplace and ornate carpeting. The exterior is rustic brick and features an incredible original neon sign in the shape of a magic lamp.

(1955) Uncle Bud’s Kitchen16636 Clark Ave, Bellflower, CA 90706. Tiny house with limited counter seating and a few tables. Vintage ’70s interior with wood paneled walls, mid-century table and chairs, thrift market kitsch decor and a laminate eating counter with stools. Serves breakfast only until 11:30am. The real Uncle Bud was a cook in the Korean War who returned home to open this restaurant and then passed on the business to the current owner.

(1955) The Venice Room2428 S Garfield Ave, Monterey Park, CA 91754.
A dark, romantically moody restaurant and bar that seems frozen in time. With both deep burgundy & black semi-circular booths, wood laminate tables, knobby wood detailing, red table lamps, velvet flocked wallpaper and old school murals of Venice, Italy, inside this windowless steakhouse, it could be day or night. The bar area is just as vintage and even has a piano for when the mood is right. The exterior has fabulous vintage neon and the original 1950s facade. Although the ambiance is perfect, it is not the thing that stands out most here. This place is known for grilling your own steak. It is an odd & fun custom that is absolutely unique in old L.A. American restaurants. Just bring the raw steak you order to the built-in hibachi, season it to your liking, and then grill. But try not to forget about it as you nurse your martini…

(1956) The Arsenal12012 W Pico Blvd, L.A., CA 90064. American bar food. The Arsenal has had many incarnations, but has been known as The Arsenal since 1956. Originally it had been a Spanish saloon called “El Arsenal” which was destroyed by a flood in 1916. In 1929 it was rebuilt as a speakeasy, featuring burlesque dancers, called “Le Hot Arsenal”. Then in 1949, as L’Arsenal, a French restaurant, it was destroyed again, this time by fire. It has had a few remodels over the years, but still has the original 1956 dining room.

(1956) Beeps16063 Sherman Way, Van Nuys, CA 91406. Beeps is a small authentic 1950s diner with window/counter service and a few remodeled booths covered in silver vinyl upholstery. The small eating area is jam-packed with fun retro memorabilia, such as old movie posters, records and pop culture ephemera, covering the walls and ceiling. Its extensive take-out menu of everything from hamburgers and ice cream sundaes to burritos is displayed on old plastic billboards and can be ordered either outside or inside.

(1956) Casa Vega13301 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423. Opened in 1956 by 22-year-old Raphael “Ray” Vega, the son of Tijuana-born immigrants who operated Cafe Caliente restaurant for 18 years on Olvera Street beginning in the 1930s. Originally located two blocks east on Ventura, Casa Vega moved after two years to where it presently stands. Marlon Brando, Cary Grant and countless other Hollywood luminaries were regulars. The entrance walls are made of river rock, with a heavy carved wooden door and the wonderful exterior neon sign is original. Inside is a dark, romantic Mexican restaurant with burgundy leather booths, brick walls and a separate bar. The restaurant is now run by Ray Vega’s daughter, Christy.

(1956) Jack’s Whittier Restaurant13221 Whittier Blvd, Whittier, CA 90602.
Opened in 1956 by Clinton Hust “Jack” Corcoran, who beginning in the 1930s owned a total of six Whittier restaurants, including Jack’s Salad Bowl, Jack’s El Rancho, Jack’s Uptown and Jack’s Beverly Fountain, this is the last location of those still standing. After Corcoran sold the business in 1973, the building was drastically remodeled, changing the googie roofline and removing a full exterior wall of glass blocks. Although today it is impressive in its retro style, it is not original and was turned down for historic landmark status in 2016. However, the incredible signs out front were built with the original 1956 building and are true vintage. Jack’s Whittier lists the year 1933 as its opening, which may have reflected an earlier version of the restaurant in the same location. Both the interior and current exterior are in the retro ’50s diner style, with angled ceilings, booths with laminate tables and a long eating counter.

(1956) Little Toni’s 4745 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91602. Little Toni’s opened in 1956, taking over the 30-seat Cottage Italia restaurant, an Italian eatery where known jazz musicians jammed together in the early ’50s. About ten years later it expanded to 100 seats by knocking down the liquor store next door. Serving Italian-American food, this restaurant has an authentic old school vibe; dark, with red leather booths, stained glass, wood & Italian inspired decor.

(1956) The Munch Box21532 Devonshire St, Chatsworth, CA 91311. The Munch Box is a tiny walk-up hamburger stand on Devonshire Street in Chatsworth, CA opened by John Kent in 1956 and now owned by his nephew. Bright yellow with red 1950s font, a jet-age sloped roof, sporting brick and river rock trim, it was designed by architect Marcel Dumas. In an area once mostly known for its ranches and cowfolk, it originally featured a hitching post where local riders could tie their horses while grabbing a bite. Chatsworth residents Roy Rogers and Dale Evans were known to be customers. Serving the most basic of a hot dog, fries and hamburger menu, this old time stand was made a historic-cultural monument in 2003.

(1956) Naka’s Broiler1961 W El Segundo Blvd, Compton, CA 90222. Opened on March 1, 1956 by husband and wife Katherine and Nathaniel Banks, Naka’s Broiler may be the first black-owned business in the city of Compton. The couple came up with the name Naka by combining the first two letters of Nathaniel with the first two of Katherine. Located in a small brick building, the diner serves American food, including burgers, sandwiches and breakfasts and is only open for morning and early afternoon hours. The restaurant was bought by David Fisher in 1991, who kept Katherine aka Mama Naka busy there until she died in 2007.

(1956) The Original Park Pantry2104 E Broadway, Long Beach, CA 90803. Original 1950s vintage building with a great neon sign. Serving American diner-style food. The inside has been somewhat redecorated, but still keeps an old school integrity.

(1956) Otomisan2506 1/2 E 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90033. Cozy diner with three booths and counter seating. It may very well be the oldest surviving Japanese restaurant in the whole Los Angeles area. Boyle Heights became a Japanese community in the 1950s after Japanese citizens were released from forced U.S. WWll internment camps. The neighborhood is now primarily Mexican and this restaurant is one of the few remainders of its Japanese history.

(1957) Antonio’s Pizzeria13619 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423. Opened in 1957 on Ventura Blvd in Sherman Oaks. It is one of the oldest surviving Italian restaurants in the city and its appearance still reflects its vintage history. The exterior has an amazing sign in the shape of Italy and a front facing stained glass window. The interior has wood paneled walls, faux brick trim, green leather booths, and many kitschy details, such as Chianti bottles hanging from the ceiling, plastic grape leaves, red & white checked table cloths & murals of Italian vistas painted on the walls.

(1957) Art’s Delicatessen12224 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA 91604.
Art’s Deli opened in 1957 on Ventura Blvd in Studio City, CA. Founded by New York born Art Ginsburg, it is a traditional Jewish delicatessen with rust colored booths, wood paneled room dividers, ceiling fans, hanging glass globe lights and a glass deli case. The room was remodeled after a fire caused by the 1994 Northridge earthquake, but the exterior features an old neon sign. Art passed away several years ago and the restaurant in now run by his son.

(1957) Cock-a-Doodle12940 Central Ave, Chino, CA 91710. The Cock-a-Doodle restaurant opened in 1957 on Central Avenue, in what’s left of Chino’s downtown business district. Started by Johnny and Thora Sosinsky, its name came from the fact that the restaurant opened so early in the morning that one could hear the rooster crow. People in the area often shorten the name to “The Doodle.” Serving American country-style breakfasts, lunches and dinners, the decor reflects this theme, with wood paneled walls, burgundy tufted leather booths, wagon wheels on the walls and a separate lounge area that reflects the same decorating scheme. The exterior is wood sided and trimmed with brick and overhung with a fairly new awning. Though it has had several sets of owners since the Sosinskys, it has been owned by Patricia and Joe Costa since 1996.

(1957) Coral Cafe3321 W Burbank Blvd, Burbank, CA 91505. Coral Cafe was opened in 1957 by Danny and Irene Frydokowski. Located in a freestanding building, trimmed with brick, this 24-hour diner has had makeovers since it was first opened. With plenty of laminate wood, colonial decor chairs, frosted hurricane lamps and cloth booth seating, it retains a vintage dated feel, somewhere between the late ’70s anf early ’90s. Serving an extensive menu of American and Mexican diner classics, it has been owned since 1990 by John Leoisis and Tom Vournas, cousins of the original owners.

(1957) Norm’s Restaurant470 N La Cienega Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90048. Part of the 1949 founded chain, this Googie Armet & Davis designed location is the oldest left.

(1957) Rod’s Grill41 W. Huntington Dr., Arcadia, CA 91007. Rod’s began as a chain of American-style restaurants opened by Rod Wellman in 1946. The first location was on Atlantic Blvd in Alhambra, but this Arcadia location, Rod’s #4, is the only branch that remains today. Other locations were in El Monte, Pico Rivera, Montebello and East L.A. This was nearly lost to the wrecking ball in 2006, when the city of Arcadia attempted to use eminent domain to enable a Mercedes dealership to expand, but public outcry saved it from demolition. The exterior is in the googie-style, with triangular roof, river rock walls and vintage signs. Inside is a well-preserved mid century diner with turquoise leather booths, brink walls, wood laminate tables and a sloping architectural ceiling.

(1957) Safari Room15426 Devonshire St, Mission Hills, CA 91345. The Safari Room is a mid-century steakhouse opened in 1957. Though the exterior of the building is basic light-colored brick, the plastic sign featuring a dancing African warrior hints at the interior decoration. The inside is African safari-themed with black leather semi-circular booths trimmed with faux-leopard fur, a slanted wood beamed ceiling, decor featuring African spears, shields and masks, and a cozy attached wooden bar with black bucket seats.

(1958) Corky’s Restaurant5043 Van Nuys Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403. Corky’s restaurant on Van Nuys Blvd in Sherman Oaks, CA was built in 1958 and was originally called Stanley Burke’s Coffee Shop. Designed by Googie architects Armet & Davis, the exterior of this American diner has river rock walls and a classic sweeping roofline. Though it has continually operated as a restaurant, the business has gone through several names changes over the decades, becoming Corky’s in the early 1960s to the mid-’80s and then the Lamplighter from about 1985 to 2010, changing back yet again to Corky’s. The interior had gone through several renovations as well, the first in the 1970s and then recently, bringing back the early ’60s retro style. Inside is a classic diner with wood laminate counter, mint green booths, brick floors, hanging globe lamps and the addition of geometric mod, multi-colored booth dividers. A separate cocktail lounge area, called The Cork, has an original laid back feel as well and had the added history of a young Billy Joel who used to play piano here in the ’70s.

(1958) Dal Rae 9023 E. Washington Blvd, Pico Rivera, CA 90660. This “sophisticated” and pricey mid-century steakhouse was originally opened in 1951 on 105th Street and Western Avenue, near Watts, by Ed Dalton and Rae Harris, who combined their names into a new one to call their restaurant. Shortly afterword the restaurant was purchased by Omaha, Nebraska born brothers, Ben and Bill Smith, who opened this second location on Washington Blvd in Pico Rivera in 1958 and a third location in Fullerton. The Watts location closed in 1969 and the Fullerton restaurant was in business at least into the late 1980s. With an amazing vintage sign out front, unfortunately converted a few years ago from its original neon to plastic, the interior features elegant dark wood walls, a honeycombed ceiling & black leather booths. Though the decor has been somewhat modernized over the years, the menu has stayed much the same from the days when an ashtray was found on every table and a martini with lunch was considered quite normal. This is the place to try some of those classic ’50s menu items that you’ve only heard of, such as Oysters Rockefeller, Sauteed Frog Legs, Duck l’Orange, Crab Louie or the flaming Cherries Jubilee and Banana Flambe. The Dal Rae has been owned by Ben Smith’s sons, Lorin and Kevin, since 1996.

(1958) Frumento’s214 W Beverly Blvd, Montebello, CA 90640. This is a brick fronted, old school deli serving sandwiches, deli case pasta dishes, Italian baked goods and salads. The counter and deli case have been modernized over the years, but the rest of the room is still pretty original, with polished cement floors, exposed air ducts and tables & chairs for eating. The market part sells packaged Italian food products. Frumento’s also serves scoops of gelato.

(1958) Original Pancake House1418 E Lincoln Ave, Anaheim, CA 92805. The first California branch of The Original Pancake House was built in 1958 on Lincoln Ave in Anaheim. It had been founded in Portland, Oregon 5 years earlier in 1953 by Les Highet and Erma Hueneke as a restaurant to highlight international pancake recipes. Today there are over 100 restaurants in the chain. This Anaheim location was gutted by fire in 1961 and immediately rebuilt. The exterior resembles a thatched roof cottage, while the interior of this location is still original with wood paneled walls, orange leather booths, knobbed wood room dividers, wood laminate tables and linoleum floors.

(1958) Pann’s Restaurant6710 La Tijera Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045. Opened byGeorge and Rena Panagopoulos in 1958, after about a decade of working in other L.A. area restaurants, Pann’s is a classic googie-style coffee shop currently only open during breakfast and lunch hours. Designed by architects Eldon Davis and Helen Lui Fong of the Armet & Davis architectural firm, the exterior has a space age triangular roofline, river rock walls and original neon sign. The interior has red leather booths, a long wood laminate counter with ivory leather stools and more river rock.

(1958) The Pizza Show13344 Hawthorne Blvd, Hawthorne, CA 90250. The Pizza Show opened in 1958 on Hawthorne Blvd in Hawthorne as the second branch of a casual Italian restaurant opened by Jay Evans, an ex-New York City cab driver. Jay moved his family from New York to to California in 1955 and opened the first branch of the Pizza Show in Inglewood in 1956. He kept it running until 1966, when he opened a third branch in Lawndale, which closed in the early 2000s. Now owned by Jay’s son, Gary, this Hawthorne branch has red leather booths and vintage old world, rustic touches. The exterior is faced with brick and has vibrant, red, white and green circus-like signs with flags and a few cafe tables for outdoor eating. The inside has a fun feel, designed to resemble an old Italian village courtyard, with doors and windows on the walls, exposed brick and trompe d’oeil murals. The Beach Boys grew up a few blocks away & used to get pizza here after their gigs in the early ’60s.

(1958) Rae’s Restaurant2901 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405. Classic 1950s diner with red leather booths, vintage light fixtures, neon sign and exterior wall made of rock. Authentic neighborhood old school feel. Contrary to popular belief, there was no Rae. The name is derived from the initials of the names of the original owners: Ralph, his wife Alphonsine, and their daughter Eloise. The S is for their last name-Shipman.

(1958) Sandwiches by Connal1505 E Washington Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91104
This fast food sandwich stand opened in 1958 and has a local, casual feel. It has an indoor eating area that has been completely remodeled with a ’50s vibe, but still feels authentic. Two cool vintage signs hang out front.

(1959) Cavaretta’s Italian Deli22045 Sherman Way, Canoga Park, CA 91304. Opened in 1959 on Sherman Way in Canoga Park. A recent exterior remodel unfortunately removed the cool vintage sign & the mid-century river rock fronting. However, the interior has kept its authentic integrity with old school glass deli cases filled with Italian cold cuts, cookies, cannoli and a mish mash of collectibles crowding the walls. An area with baseball memorabilia commemorates a cousin, Phil Cavaretta, who played Major League Baseball for the Chicago Cubs from 1935 to 1954.

(1959) Chez Jay1657 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90401. Chez Jay was opened fourth of July weekend in 1959 on Ocean St in Santa Monica by a struggling actor from the east coast named Jay Fiondella. A combination bar/restaurant with red leather booths, wood paneled walls, port hole windows and a formica topped bar, it became a hangout of some of the coolest celebrities of the 1960s & 1970s: Richard Burton, Peter Sellers, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Joe DiMaggio, Judy Garland, The Beach Boys, Jim Morrison and many more… Jay passed away in 2008, but the place has thankfully not changed a bit. It’s a little rough around the edges, but the interior is still exactly the same, along with saw dust on the floors and bowls of peanuts on the bar.

(1959) Gazzolo’s Sausages132 E Highland Ave, San Bernardino, CA 92404. Walking into Gazzolo’s on Highland Ave in San Bernardino is a bit like stepping into an old German fairy tale. Opened in 1959 as Otto’s Sausages by Otto Doggwiler, who immigrated from Switzerland with his family’s sausage recipes, it has functioned as a restaurant, deli and homemade sausage company ever since. Doggwiler retired and returned to Switzerland and it has been owned since 1986 by Jay Gazzolo, who changed part of the store’s name to reflect his own. Santos Favela, a 72-year old sausage maker, has been working at the restaurant since the early 1960s and can still be seen there today. Both the exterior and interior are magical and full of charm. The outside, with a wood cobbled roof, faux log exterior, faux chimney bright colors, window shutters and flower boxes, looks like a Disneyland creation. Written on the front of the building is “Bavarian Inn” and “German Dinners,” but an amazing vintage plastic sign, likely from the 1960s, in the shape of a pennant hanging from a javelin says, “European Dining, Specializing in Austrian, German and Swiss.” Entrance is through the back parking lot and a wood cobbled portico with another sign, “Wilkommen.” Inside is quaint and old world, with wood panelling, and small wooden tables, but the real special place to eat is in the back room, where several wooden booths are part of a Hansel & Gretel-type village set, where patrons eat under an overhand designed to look like a European house, with faux windows and shutters. And yet another small room has the old fashioned deli case, complete with sausages, cold cuts and a few cheeses.

(1959) La Luz del Dia1 Olvera St, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Located in a historic building on L.A.’s oldest street, this Mexican restaurant serves from a take-out window and has a central dining room. It evolved from a Mexican market with the same name opened in 1915 at another location.

(1959) Marty’s Hamburger Stand10558 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064. Marty’s Hamburger Stand opened in 1959 on Pico Blvd in the Rancho Park neighborhood of West L.A. It is a little take-out shack, painted orange and blue, with counter seating available on the sides and a patio with built-in picnic tables in the rear. Serving fast food hamburgers, fries and hotdogs, their speciality is the “Combo,” a chili-hot dog topped-cheeseburger. The stools and tables, also painted orange and blue, are original vintage fixtures.

(1959) Pina Pizza House11102 Paramount Blvd, Downey, CA 90241. Pina Pizza House is family owned pizza parlor, Downey’s oldest Italian restaurant. It was named after the family matriarch, Pina Persico, who founded the restaurant with her husband John in 1959. The interior is basic and casual, with a patchwork of decor styles, from the 1960s to the 1980s, including vintage wall and floor tile.

(1959) Red Lion Tavern2366 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039. The Red Lion Tavern opened in 1959 on Glendale Blvd in Silverlake. It’s a kitschy German tavern that was originally opened by the owners of the even older Cole’s restaurant in downtown L.A. Although Red Lion was originally an Old English pub, it became German in 1963. With forest green leather booths, wood paneled walls, windows made of multi-colored bottles, waitresses in Oktoberfest-style cinched dresses and an extensive German beer list, this restaurant/bar is a local institution. The food is straight up traditional German- sausages, schnitzel and pretzels as big as your head. Check out the weird piano lounge act as well.

(1959) Tallyrand1700 W Olive Ave, Burbank, CA 91506. Tallyrand is an American diner opened in 1959 on Olive Avenue in Burbank by Al and Delores Thomas, transplants from the Mid-West. Remodeled somewhat over the years, the interior has a 1960s meets 1980s feel with a long laminate eating counter, ’80s-style booths and a lot of faux wood. The exterior has kept much of its original mid-century flavor, with original font on the front of the building and a decorative diamond pattern as well. The original sign with Al Thomas’ name in neon above the restaurant’s was unfortunately eventually replaced with a modern plastic version, but the separate cocktail lounge, also recently remodeled, still survives. This diner was a favorite of California TV tour guide Huell Howser.

(1959) Tito’s Tacos11222 Washington Pl, Culver City, CA 90230. Much beloved Americanized hard-shelled tacos served at an outdoor stand with notoriously long lines. The interior is remodeled fast-food simplicity with basic tables and ceiling fans. Picnic table seating is also available outside. A bright yellow plastic sign out front is likely ’70s era.

(1960) Compari’s Pizza5490 W Centinela Ave, Westchester, CA 90045. In its original strip-mall location on Centinela Ave since 1960, Compari’s has a quaint, casual, old neighborhood feel. The exterior still has its original river rock front and the arrow part of its vintage neon sign is original. Serving Northern Italian-style pizza and pasta, the long, narrow interior is built to recreate an outdoor courtyard in Italy, a unique feature. The walls are brick, with windows, shutters and awnings to appear you are outside looking in. The ceiling and rear wall is completely and heavily covered with plastic grape vines, to give one the feeling of eating under a trellis. Other vintage decorations include original 1960s hanging lanterns and paintings of the Italian masters along the walls.

(1960) Domenico’s Italian Restaurant2411 E Washington, Pasadena, CA 91104.
Casual Italian American. Family owned & run for three generations. Not connected to the Long Beach Domenico’s.

(1960) Jim’s Famous Quarterpound Burger8749 Valley Blvd, Rosemead, CA 91770. Vintage fast food burger joint on its second owner. Opened in 1960 on Valley Blvd in Rosemead, by “Jim” of course. Since 1997 they have a new owner, but they are still famous for their amazing & enormous banana milkshakes.

(1960) Paty’s Restaurant10001 Riverside Dr, Toluca Lake, CA 91602
Remodeled retro diner patronized by celebrities. Near Warner Bros studios. Originally called Gaby’s, when former owner Cathy Baker bought it the name was changed to Paty’s. New owners bought the restaurant in 1999 and completely remodeled it.

(1961) Casa de Pizza16161 San Fernando Mission Blvd, Granada Hills, CA 91344. Casa de Pizza was opened in 1961 in a strip mall on San Fernando Mission Blvd in Granada Hills by a Chicago couple who had come west five years earlier. Originally a simple Italian takeout pizza parlor, it expanded in 1965, adding eight tables and a decorating scheme of Frank Sinatra memorabilia. Apparently in the early ’70s Sinatra himself visited after hours, leaving a $900 tip and the permission that the restaurant could call the dining room “The Sinatra Room.” Today the dining room has doubled in size, adding more Frank decor, such as framed posters and record albums. The exterior has original ’60s river rock. The interior, though modernized over the years, is Italian bistro chic, featuring a trellis with plastic grape vines, built in booths and a raised alcove where a Frank Sinatra tribute band plays on Thursday nights.

(1961) Harold’s House of Omelettes2440 E Thousand Oaks, Thousand Oaks, 91362. Harold’s House of Omelettes opened in Thousand Oaks, CA in 1961. Located in a strip mall with an old plastic sign, this cafe serves omelettes as well as burgers, sandwiches and Mexican food. The interior is country kitsch decor with a 1960s feel. Along with wood paneled walls and farmhouse style wallpaper, there are black vinyl booths. Opened by Harold Warner, a WWll vet and big band era drummer, who had started in the restaurant business as a cook at the Hollywood & Vine location of Du-Par’s restaurant in 1949 and then moved in the early 1950s to Thousand Oaks to begin a Du-Par’s there. Harold continued cooking at his own cafe until the late 1990s.

(1961) Mama Petrillo’s Restaurant9082 Las Tunas Dr, Temple City, CA 91780.
Family owned Italian; vintage wood paneled walls, red leather booths, trellises over the booth areas, a boxed trellis ceiling and original sign. Opened by the Petrillo family in 1961 who had relocated from Rochester, NY the year before. This is not to be confused with Petrillo’s in San Gabriel. A branch opened in La Verne, CA in 2010.

(1961) Mario’s Italian Deli740 E Broadway, Glendale, CA 91205. Mario Tribuzi opened Mario’s Italian Deli in 1961 on Broadway Ave in Glendale, CA and it is owned by his son today. Known for their sandwiches on crusty rolls, this small Italian market has a long glass deli counter filled with Italian meats, cheeses, salads and pasta dishes and is extremely busy during lunch hours. With a handful of tables available for eating in, ordering is done at the counter. The interior is old school utilitarian, while the outside is trimmed with brick and features hand painted signs.

(1961) The Rock Store30354 Mulholland Hwy, Cornell, CA 91301. Originally opened as a grocery store, it had been a stage coach stop in the 1910s. Rustic BBQ/Burger joint & motorcycle hangout. River rock facade and outdoor patio.

(1962) Chinese Garden856 N Garfield Ave, Montebello, CA 90640. Sammy & Jane Mar opened Chinese Garden Restaurant on N. Garfield Ave in Montebello, CA on October 18, 1962. Serving Cantonese-style Chinese food, it is currently owned and operated by the Mar family. The exterior has 1960s river rock detailing and mid-century globe lamps, while the interior has been modernized over the years and has burgundy leather booths alongside standard tables and chairs, along with a few Chinese decorations.

(1962) Cupid’s Hot Dogs20030 Vanowen St, Winnetka, CA 91306. A small chain started in 1946 in North Hollywood, this walk-up hot dog stand has two vintage locations left. Both have a great heart-shaped sign.

(1962) El Cholo840 E. Whittier Blvd., La Habra, CA 90631. A second branch of El Cholo restaurant opened in 1962 on Whittier Blvd in La Habra, CA by Ron Salisbury, the son of the owners of the first El Cholo, George & Aurelia. The original El Cholo is the oldest surviving Mexican restaurant in Los Angeles and has been on Western Ave in Los Angeles since 1927. The interior of this La Habra location features dark wood booths, beamed ceilings, traditional Mexican decor and a big outdoor eating courtyard. Ron now owns the original restaurant as well.

(1962) Flo’s Airport Cafe Chino Airport, 7000 Merrill Ave #8, Chino, CA 91710. This simple bare bones cafe/diner with a greasy spoon-type character was opened by Flo Slack in 1962 at the Chino Airport. A popular spot for local aviators and workers, the menu features hearty breakfasts, American comfort food and a large selection of pies. The room is simple, with basic tables and chairs, a wood laminate eating counter with attached brown leatherette swivel stools, framed photos of aviation and military history on the walls and linoleum floors. Flo retired in 1975 and the restaurant has been owned by Paul and Donna Hughes since that time.

(1962) HMS Bounty3357 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90010. Kitschy nautical-themed bar & grill with red leather booths, a wooden bar & port holes in the walls. It originally opened in 1948 and was called the Gay Room because it is part of the Gaylord Hotel. It was remodeled with a very cool nautical theme in 1962 and renamed after the famous ship.

(1962) La Cave1695 Irvine Ave, Costa Mesa, CA 92627. Old-school steak and seafood. Dark and romantic, located downstairs in a cellar. John Wayne was a regular.

(1962) Ramona’s Mexican Food Products13633 S Western Ave, Gardena, CA 90249. This is the second location of a fast food Mexican restaurant which opened in 1954 in Huntington Park. Ramona’s got its start in 1947 out of a house at Temple & Beaudry before opening their restaurants. This location still is amazingly vintage with beautiful tile work on both the exterior and throughout the interior, including the floors. The interior of the original Huntington Park location has been completely modernized, but both locations have their original plastic signs.

(1962) Sorrento’s Restaurant2428 Western Ave, San Pedro, CA 90732. Sorrento’s Restaurant opened in 1962 on Western Ave in San Pedro. Located in a strip mall, it is a small, casual old school Italian-American restaurant with green leather booths, wood paneling, knobby wood dividers and a Italian-themed mural in a circular inlay in the ceiling. Founded by Vince Mattera, who passed away in 2011, it is still owned and operated by his widow, Angie, and his children.

(1962) Stox9518 Imperial Hwy, Downey, CA 90242. Old school diner which originally started as a 20-seat hamburger stand in Huntington Park that opened in 1954. The exterior is original early ’60s, with a river rock facade and original signs. The interior appears to have not been updated since the late ’70s. There is an attached bar/lounge area with the intriguing name “The Crystal Room.”

(1962) Taix1911 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026. Taix restaurant formally opened at this Sunset Blvd location in Echo Park, in 1962 as Les Freres Taix, but the beginnings go back another 25 years to 1927 whenMarius Taix Jr. began serving chicken dinners at long, communal wooden tables at a restaurant in his father’s hotel, Champ d’Or, in the downtown French Quarter. Located at 321 Commercial Street, apparently, the previous restaurant owner in the old brick hotel had been arrested for serving alcohol during Prohibition, and that gave Marius Jr. the opportunity to take over the space, which he called Taix Restaurant. Marius Jr.’s sons continued the tradition, moving the restaurant to Echo Park in 1962 and eventually shortening Les Freres Taix to merely Taix. The exterior is long and spacious, designed to look like a French Chateau, with a cobbled pointy roof, several small towers with spires, a low brick wall surrounding the perimeter and a covered entrance on the side of the building. The inside is dark and romantic, consisting of a main dining room, several smaller dining areas and an attached lounge. The environment is filled with dark wood, rich carpeting, brick walls, tin ceilings and an elegant French country meets mid-century modern aesthetic.

(1962) Tamarack Inn9257 Slauson Ave, Pico Rivera, CA 90660. The Tamarack Inn opened in 1962, on Slauson Ave in Pico Rivera, CA. Located in a rustic, wood cabin-like building constructed in 1925, it is the perfect description of a tavern- a dark bar with tables, serving a full menu, heavy on the burgers, steak and BBQ. The inside is completely made of dark wood, from ceiling to walls to floors to bar to tables, giving it a well-worn authenticity that is impossible to replicate. Decorations include snow shoes on the ceiling, stained glass windows imbedded in the walls which let in small shafts of colored light, and old photographs. The exterior, also heavy dark wood, conveys exactly what you will find inside.

(1962) Tops Jr2407 W Main St, Alhambra, CA 91801. Small, old school walk-up fast food shack fronted with mid-century brick, serving pastrami, Mexican and American favorites. An offshoot of the Original Tops in Pasadena, opened 1952, but separately owned.

(1962) Viva Cantina900 W Riverside Dr, Burbank, CA 91506. Viva Cantina Mexican restaurant opened in 1962 in the equestrian part of Burbank, CA on Riverside Drive. Consisting of two separate rooms with two bars, two stages and two patio areas, there are often multiple acts of live music going on at the same time. The restaurant decor itself is decidedly 1960s with dark wood paneled walls, slatted wooden ceiling, dark burgundy colored leather booths and mid-century lanterns. The restaurant’s setting next door to Griffith Park and the Equestrian Center, gives it a rural feeling and there is even an area to tie horses when their riders are in the restaurant eating.

(1963) Andre’s Italian Restaurant6332 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90036.
Tucked away in a shopping center on 3rd Street, near Fairfax., serving Italian food, including pizza and pasta, dished up cafeteria-style in a serving line with trays. Opened in the early ’60s by “Andre of Beverly Hills” as the second location of his pricey Wilshire Blvd Italian restaurant, this was the inexpensive younger sister. The fancy Andre’s closed in the late 1990s, but this hidden gem survives. Inside is spacious, with basic booths and tables. Most of the vintage has been modernized, but it still has a little bit of that old time feel.

(1963) The Capri4604 Eagle Rock Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90041. Small, casual Italian restaurant owned by the same family until 1997. Remodeled a few years ago.

(1963) Casa Calderon622 W Las Tunas Dr, San Gabriel, CA 91776. Classic Mexican food in a building reminiscent of a castle, with a turret and large arched window. The interior has an authentic feel with original red and blue linoleum floors, mint green booths, pink walls and American colonial-style chairs.

(1963) The Castaway1250 E Harvard Rd, Burbank, CA 91501. Classic American food. Opened in 1963 as a nautical-themed restaurant with a view; rebuilt in 1994 after arson. It is among the restaurants by Speciality Restaurant Corporation, started by David Tallichet, a pioneer in themed restaurants, who began building them nationwide in 1958. SRC started and continues to operate several other themed vintage restaurants in the Los Angeles area, including The Proud Bird (1967), The Odyssey (1970), Orange Hill (1972) and the 94th Aero Squadron (1973).

(1963) Cortina’s Italian Market2175 W Orange Ave, Anaheim, CA 92804. Cortina’s Italian deli and market was opened in 1963 on Orange Ave in Anaheim, CA by brothers Tony and Victor DiDodo, who had relocated to California in the mid-’50s from Montreal, Canada. Still owned by the DiDodo family, this busy deli serves Italian food by counter service in a brick walled room, remodeled after a 2013 fire, with a drop retro-style ceiling, copper lamps and framed sports memorabilia. A market next door sells Italian products and fresh bread. A second location was opened in Orange, CA.

(1963) El Cid4212 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90029. The Sunset Blvd supper club, El Cid, opened in 1963 by Flamenco dancers Juan Talavera, Margarita Cordova, and her husband Clark Allen, has a long history. Though it was remodeled in the early ’60s to look like a 16th-century Spanish tavern, the building itself was constructed in 1915 as one of Los Angeles’ earliest silent movie theaters. In 1925 the theater became a theme restaurant called the Jail Cafe, and through faux windows in its stone, fortress-like exterior peered paintings of convicts behind bars. Waiters dressed as either prison guards or prisoners, and tables were individually located behind steel bars of prop jail cells, labeled on top with imaginary crimes. Between 1932 to 1961 the space once again served as a theater, first the Gateway and then the Caberet Concert Theatre, popular as a hot spot for both musical performances and plays. When it finally became El Cid in 1963, the menu became Spanish, specializing in tapas, paella, sangria and a wonderful dinner Flamenco show, performed on a full stage inside the dining room. The entranceway from Sunset leads down steep, winding stairs to a dark, romantic restaurant with brick walls, wooden floors, Spanish tile, hanging lanterns and an outside courtyard tucked into the hillside.

(1963) La Cabaña738 Rose Ave, Venice, CA 90291. La Cabaña restaurant was opened on Rose Avenue In Venice, CA in 1963 by Nina and Carl Haro, and is run today by their children. Originally located in a small thatched roof hut-like building, today the exterior is white washed plaster with a river rock enclosed porch, 1960s plastic signs and a Mexican tiled roof. The interior is dimly lit and carries the mid-century Mexican restaurant look with more river rock, exposed brick, knobby wood posts and more tile. Mariachis are often on duty to serenade, while a tortilla maker molds homemade tortillas in view of restaurant patrons.

(1963) The Magic Castle7001 Franklin Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028. Upscale dining surrounded by vintage magic memorabilia at this members only magician’s club with a strict dress code. Opened in 1963 by magicians Bill & Milt Larsen and located in a large, chataeu-styled mansion built in 1909, it consists of a maze-like collection of multiple magic parlors and several bars, including a formal dining room. Filled to the brim with magic history, memorabilia and antiques, vintage magic posters line many of the walls.

(1963) Matteo’s2321 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064. Opened in 1963 by Mateo “Matty” Jordan, who, with the last name Giordano, grew up across the street from Frank Sinatra in Hoboken, New Jersey. This elegant, upscale Italian restaurant was a regular hangout of the crooner, who had a corner booth (table 8) permanently reserved for him. Frank Sinatra’s mother was a mid-wife who delivered Matteo, and the two were life-long pals. Gangster Mickey Cohen, Milton Berle, Rodney Dangerfield, Robert Blake and Phyllis Diller were regulars as well. With deep red leather booths and crimson walls trimmed with dark wood and lined with paintings, this white tablecloth restaurant is open for dinner only, but an attached bar area serves happy hour. A vintage sign hangs in front of the marble fronted building, which has a simple black awning.

(1963) Me-n-Ed’s Pizza Parlor4115 Paramount Blvd, Lakewood, CA 90712. Me-n-Ed’s Pizza opened for business on Paramount Blvd in Lakewood, CA in 1963. It is part of a chain of franchise restaurants started by Russ Johnson and Ed Sandlin in Sacramento in 1958. The exterior of this Lakewood location features a vintage sign in the shape of a shield with javelin spears and the caption “Ye Olde Publick House.” Though I am quite sure they did not have pizza in Olde England, the British theme continues with the font on the front of the restaurant, a thatched wood awning and a Tudor meets 1960s front door with stained glass. 1960s globe lamps also hang in a line out front. The interior has long communal wooden tables, wood paneled walls, and more thatched wood awnings spanning much of the perimeter of the room. Ordering is done counter-style from a brick wall section where the pizzas are baked. The wall decor is sparse and suggestive of antiques, though confused in a delightful way. Another section called “Ye Olde Filling Station” allows one to order alcohol from a wall menu shaped like rolled parchment called “Ye Olde Brewmaster List” or other beverages from a list called “Ye Olde Fountain for Youth.” A small stage features blue grass bands on Friday and Saturday evenings to add to the cultural mish mash. In 2017 Me-n-Ed Pizza had 60 franchises, mostly centered in Central California, though I have no idea if any of the rest of them have this same cool ’60s feel.

(1963) The Red Onion736 Silver Spur Rd, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274.
Once a nationwide chain of Mexican American restaurants, this is the only survivor.

(1963) The San Franciscan2520 Sepulveda Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505. The San Franciscan restaurant was opened on Sepulveda Blvd in Torrance, CA by Sam and Connie Failla in 1963. A classic mid-century steakhouse, it has kept most of its original interior intact, along with its exterior vintage signage and river rock entrance. Inside are crimson red leather booths, dark knobby wood room dividers, a long bar trimmed with brown leather, paneled walls and dark brown wooden captain’s chairs.

(1964) Chuck’s Coffee Shop4120 E Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90803. This coffee shop/diner was opened by the gregarious Chuck Tinkler in 1964, blocks from the Pacific Ocean in the Belmont Shores area of Long Beach. Standing kitty corner at the crossroads of two streets, the long building is attention grabbing. Emblazoned in large hand-painted lettering is Chuck’s Coffee Shop- Home of the “Weasel”- Locally World Famous.” The Weasel is scrambled eggs topped with chili and served with potatoes and toast. The interior is basic and unadorned, with the exception of a black mid-century cone fireplace standing in the center of the room. The eating counter is horseshoe shaped laminate wood, while the ’60s vintage stools and booths were recovered in vinyl, likely in the ’80s, judging by the pattern. There is a full menu of diner-style American food, including breakfasts, burgers, sandwiches and some Mexican items as well. Chuck passed away in 2017, but the restaurant has been run by his daughter, Laurie Surface, since about 2015.

(1964) Dan Tana’s9071 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069. Opened in 1964, in the space that previously held Dominick’s restaurant, Dan Tana’s was named for its new owner, a Yugoslavian former professional soccer player, who had done some acting on the side. Tana had also worked as a dish washer at Micelli’s restaurant (1949 on this list) and then as a maitre d’ at La Scala and Villa Capri (now the Rainbow). The building was constructed in 1938 for Black’s Lucky Spot Café, which had a lunch counter, but soon became Domenico’s Lucky Spot and then just Dominick’s until Dan Tana took it over. The small pricey Italian restaurant, with red walls and darker red leather booths, traditional checked table cloths and chianti bottle hanging from the ceiling, is an iconic celebrity-studded hotspot.

(1964) Foxy’s Restaurant206 W Colorado St, Glendale, CA 91204. Diner in a cool A-frame building. Although the inside has been remodeled, vestiges of the ’60s remain with a cool river rock fireplace. Eating in the actual wooden, triangular A-frame section of the diner is unique. Their menu now is focused mainly on Southwestern food, but many breakfast choices too.

(1964) Fratone’s9148 Telegraph Rd, Downey, CA 90240. Classic mid-century Italian restaurant serving mainly pizza and pasta. Exterior has ’60s brick and a heavy wooden door with colored glass inset. The interior still holds true to the 1960s flavor with original yellow linoleum floors, red flocked wallpaper, wood panelling, stained glass and padded booths. The decoration is old school Italian kitsch with red and white checked tablecloths, thatched awnings over the tables, fake plants and imitation Tiffany lights. Ordering is done at a window upon entering. Opened in a former grocery store by the Tesoriero family, immigrants from Sicily, the business is now owned by the original owner’s sons.

(1964) Giamela’s3178 Los Feliz Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039. Small, casual neighborhood Italian submarine shop founded in 1964, with several locations. The building was constructed in 1924 and hasn’t had a major reconstruction since 1952.

(1964) La Talpa11751 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064. La Talpa Mexican restaurant opened in 1964 on Pico Blvd in Los Angeles, not far from the border of Santa Monica. It is small and family owned, having had several owners since its original opening. The exterior is covered in brick and has an amazing neon sign of a man in a sombrero taking a siesta under a cactus. The simple interior is decorated with festive murals and front facing stained glass windows. There are wood paneled walls, red leather booths and a cozy back room bar with additional seating.

(1964) Lucy’s El Adobe Cafe5536 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90004. Lucy’s El Adobe Cafe was opened in 1964 by the late Lucy and Frank Casado. Serving Mexican food in a stylized mid-century adobe building, the interior has several separate dining areas along with a romantic outdoor courtyard featuring low river rock walls, old brick floor tiles and a rustic stone fountain. The inside features brick walls, polished Mexican paved floors, brown leather booths with wood laminate tables, a built in bar and hundreds of framed celebrity headshots covering the walls. Across the street from Paramount Studios it has been a casual celebrity hangout since it was built and was specifically known as a favorite of Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt and the Eagles.

(1964) My Hero9514 Reseda Blvd, Northridge, CA 91324. My Hero Submarine Sandwiches opened on Reseda Blvd in Northridge in 1964. It is a much beloved neighborhood Mom & Pop sandwich shop now on its 2nd owner. The interior is small and basic with wood paneled walls, gingham curtains, a few tables and a counter & stools eating set-up. Ordering is from a take-out counter. A “My Hero” wall features photos dedicated to harness racing & local Northridge sports teams.

(1964) Tartan of Redlands24 E Redlands Blvd, Redlands, CA 92373. Opened in April 1964 by three brothers, Velmer, Al and Art Croteau, Tartan serves a casual American steakhouse menu, with burgers, sandwiches and full meat and fish entrees. With wood paneled walls, deep read leather horseshoe booths, knobby wood and a long wood laminate bar trimmed with black leather, the interior is a remarkably preserved mid-century restaurant. Since 2015 Tartan has been owned by Jeff and Lisa Salamon.

(1964) Twin Castle4400 Vineland Avenue, North Hollywood, CA 91602. Twin Castle Drive-in was built in 1964 and is located on Vineland Ave in a North Hollywood strip mall. Used as a location in a 1977 episode of the Rockford Files called “Trouble in Chapter 17,” this casual fast food hamburger and burrito stand has a plexiglass take-out window with original round vintage picnic tables out front. The most interesting feature of this restaurant is its odd architecture. When viewed from the side, the roofline has a castle-like appearance, made of cement turrets. Also surviving on the side exterior wall are plastic shields featuring lively vintage dog mascots dressed in costumes- The Emperor, The Prince, The Duke, The Kaiser.

(1964) Ye Olde Lamplighter255 E 40th St, San Bernardino, CA 92404. Located in a strip mall in San Bernardino, this steakhouse has had a few makeovers since its 1964 opening, but still has the dark, cozy vintage vibe. The exterior features shuttered windows, a brick entryway, hanging lanterns and a heavy castle-like door.

(1965) Bill’s Burgers14742 Oxnard St., Van Nuys, CA 91411. Bill’s Burgers was opened in 1965 on Oxnard Street in Van Nuys by Bill Elwell, who still owns it and runs the grill today. It is a tiny, no-frills, walk-up hamburger shack with a few stools, a small red laminate counter and a table in the back. Located in a somewhat desolate industrial area, this little stand takes cash only and is open weekday business hours.

(1965) Captain Jack’s16812 Pacific Coast Hwy, Sunset Beach, CA 90742. Opened in 1965 by surfboard pioneer & champion Jack Haley, this seafood restaurant still has a ’60s vibe with an exposed river rock exterior, a statue of a seafaring, peg-legged sailor on the front and original signs. With windows overlooking an adjacent canal, burgundy tufted leather booths, a piano lounge with a glowing fish tank, wooden ceilings, stained glass, port holes and tons of fishing ephemera, it has a cool, rustic nautical feel. Jack was a larger than life character who opened one of the area’s first surf shops in 1961 before opening this restaurant. He passed away in the year 2000 at age 65.

(1965) Cupid’s Hot Dogs9039 Lindley Ave, Northridge, CA 91325. A small chain started in 1946 in North Hollywood, this walk-up hot dog stand has two vintage locations left. Both have a great heart-shaped sign.

(1965) D.J. Coffee Shop 265 E 40th St, San Bernardino, CA 92404. Located in a San Bernardino strip mall, D.J. has kept its original mid-60s aesthetic intact. An exterior neon sign is original, along with its orange plastic exterior font and thatched roof exterior. Serving American coffee shop cuisine and all-day breakfasts, the interior features wood paneled walls, a wood laminate counter with black bucket stools, original linoleum floors, and original booth seating.

(1965) Five Crowns3801 East Coast Hwy, Corona Del Mar, CA 92625.Five Crowns restaurant is located in a 1936 constructed Tudor-style building that once served as an inn and getaway for Hollywood stars such as Lana Turner, Ava Gardner, Bette Davis, Howard Hughes, Rita Hayworth, Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. After 1948 the building housed a gambling and prostition den called the Hurley Bell. Bought in 1965 by Richard Frank, a second generation restauranteur, whose father, Lawrence Frank and uncle, Walter Van de Kamp, founded the Tam O’Shanter restaurant in Los Feliz in 1922 and Lawry’s Prime Rib in 1938, the new fine dining Five Crowns restaurant was created to resemble an old English manor house with authentic antiques, paintings, an English steakhouse menu and waitresses in “serving wench” uniforms. Walter Van de Kamp suggested the name Five Crowns because the new restaurant would be the fifth created by the family, “and each was a jewel in our crown.” The interior features planked wooden floors, exposed brick, dark wood and white-tablecloth styled dining. The exterior has stained glass windows and a red British telephone booth in the front.

(1965) Le Petit Chateau4615 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91602. French restaurant that looks like a mini castle, with partial river rock exterior. The interior is dark, with wood beams and a peaked thatched ceiling, olive green leather booths and wood detailing. The room is filled with French country knick knacks and the walls are vintage Tudor-style. This is subdued 1960s meets old world elegance. It is the perfect place for a romantic meal or a sequestered luncheon. A separate bar area is dark and old school as well. The food is fancy French, with relatively high prices.

(1965) Mama Cozza’s Italian Restaurant 2170 W Ball Rd, Anaheim, CA 92804. Mama Cozza’s restaurant opened in 1965 on Ball Rd in Anaheim. Serving old school Italian food and pizza, they have kept the remodels to a minimum and still have a vintage feeling. The exterior is trimmed with cut river rock, while the interior has wood paneled walls, Tiffany-style hanging stained glass lamps, dark green leather booths and the prerequisite red & white checked table cloths. Sports memorabilia and photos are a theme here with items displayed for decoration throughout the restaurant. An attached bar area has additional booth seating.

(1965) Mexi-Casa1778 W Lincoln Ave, Anaheim, CA 92801. Mexi-Casa opened in 1965 on Lincoln Street in Anaheim, CA. Its first location was two doors down from where it resides today. The original spot became the El Conejo club and then Cuban Pete’s, both now closed. Today this old school Mexican Restaurant stands at 1778 W. Lincoln Boulevard. The exterior is brick and wooden trim with a heavy door. The interior is very cool and has a distinct ’70s vibe with wood paneled walls and a wood paneled bar, dark burgundy tufted leather booths, a massive brick fireplace, knobby wooden room dividers and wall insets made of cement breeze block, 1970s hanging lamps, laminate wood tables and ’70s colonial-style wooden chairs. This location was once the restaurant for the Kettle Motor Motel, and fits perfectly with the Mexi-Casa ambiance, which is well known for large servings and extremely inexpensive prices.

(1965) The Prospector2400 E 7th St, Long Beach, CA 90804. A 1849 Gold Rush-themed steakhouse with an attached bar. It has amazing exterior murals and signs, including wood cutouts and a wishing well. Inside is dimly lit with old school booths, wood paneling, tons of mining/Old West/cowboy decorations and a lounge featuring live music.

(1965) San Marino Grill 2494 Huntington Dr, San Marino, CA 91108. Family owned cash-only coffee shop opened by Walter Celic in 1965 and now owned by his children. It has kept true to its 1960s design with original exterior signs and an interior that seems untouched by time. It features a long wood laminate counter and tables, burgundy leather booths, stained glass hanging lamps, wood paneled walls, drop ceilings and clay tile floors.

(1965) The Steak Corral11605 Washington Blvd, Whittier, CA 90606.This is the last survivor of a kitschy ’60s steakhouse chain. Located in a low, ranch-style building, its mascot out front is a boy in a ten-gallon hat swinging a lasso. The old school Western touches are plentiful- horseshoe cutouts on the shutters, cow heads and rifles on the walls, hanging lanterns, child seats made from old saddles and even a wagon train over the salad bar, and amazing kitsch galore. The 1960s flavor remains with river rock walls, naugahyde booths and eating areas under shingled coves. Food is ordered cafeteria style and then brought by servers to the table and the prices are surprisingly old school too. The menu is obviously meat-centric, but there is a salad bar, baked potato bar and a great make-your-own-sundae bar too.

(1965) Tony Bella Vista Restaurant 3116 W Magnolia Blvd, Burbank, CA 91505. Tony’s Bella Vista opened on Magnolia Blvd in Burbank in 1965. The cuisine is classic Italian-American with huge pizzas and pasta dishes. Inside is straight up 1960s East Coast Italian decor with red leather booths, knobbed wood booth dividers, built in stained glass, plastic grape leaves, a stone fireplace, gold-veined mirror, wood beamed ceiling and low lighting. The vibe is comfortable and relaxing. The plastic sign out front and the stuccoed exterior, with mid-century lanterns, is all original. Since 1987 the restaurant has been owned by brothers Angelo and Giovanni Ferialdi, who purchased it from its original owner.

(1966) Avila’s El Ranchito6703 Santa Fe Ave, Huntington Park, CA 90255. Opened in 1966 by Salvador and Margarita Avila, immigrants from Guanajuato, Mexico, this Huntington Park Mexican restaurant started with five tables has now expanded into a chain of 12 other locations throughout Orange County. Festive and brightly colored with a Mexican motif and built-in wood trellis work, most of the ’60s decorating elements have been wiped out, but the large corner building was constructed in 1925, so the high interior exposed brick walls are able to reflect a little history.

(1966) Benjie’s Deli 1828 N Tustin Ave, Santa Ana, CA 92705. Benjies Deli was opened in 1967 on Tustin Ave in Santa Ana by Brooklyn native Stan Weinstein. The restaurant took over the building of Squires Coffee Shop and was named after Stan’s father-in-law. It is a traditional and authentic Jewish deli with minimal remodeling. Its interior includes deep orange booths and counter seats, laminate wood counter top and tables, a deli case and an attached bar. It is now owned by the son of its founder.

(1966) Clearman’s Northwoods Inn7247 Rosemead Blvd, San Gabriel, CA 91775. A Yukon style dinner experience at a rustic-themed hunting lodge where the roof is bedecked with faux snow and its eaves hung with glistening faux icicles. The interior of this vintage restaurant chain gets even more interesting. Within its darkened cabin-like interior you will find wood beamed ceilings, red leather seating, stained glass as far as the eye can see and life-sized taxidermy bears. The first Clearman’s North Woods Inn was opened by John Clearman in San Gabriel, near the edge of Pasadena, in 1966, followed by another in Covina in 1967. A third location was added in La Mirada in 1989, which can be seen from the north-bound 5 freeway. Bowls of peanuts are placed on each table and signs encourage patrons to festively “Throw Peanut Shells on the Floor”. The menu is standard surf & turf with enormous portions, and this would be a place to come to order a steak as big as your face. A reasonably priced Happy Hour is held in the cool and woodsy bar area, with discounts on both drinks and certain appetizers. Celebrated for their cheese bread and cabbage salad, these may be the only menu items, besides a few other appetizers, that your vegetarian friends will be willing to eat.

(1966) The Horseless Carriage15505 Roscoe Blvd, North Hills, CA 91343. The Horseless Carriage was opened in 1966 on Roscoe Blvd in North Hills, as a part of Galpin Ford, when the auto dealership relocated to its current location on Roscoe Blvd. It was the first auto dealership in the country to have a full-service restaurant on site. With large plate glass windows, an eating counter and teal-colored seating and booths, the restaurant functions as a diner, serving American favorites and all-day breakfasts. Though some of the original 1960s elements show through- the original terrazo floors, the built-in swivel counter seats and a couple exterior signs with mid-century font, much of the decor was modernized in the ’80s or ’90s, with etched glass booth dividers, imitation deco hanging lamps and patterned fabric booths.

(1966) La Paloma2975 Foothill Blvd, La Verne, CA 91750. La Paloma Mexican opened in July 1966 by Joe Parker, who already owned Mexican restaurants in San Bernardino. Today it is still owned by his family. Located in a former orange grove, its building was constructed in 1930 as Wilson’s Sandwich Shop and then enlarged to become Wilson’s Steakhouse from the mid-1950s to the early 1960s. La Paloma’s interior features the original steakhouse’s wood beamed ceilings, wrought iron, red leather booths and stained glass taken from a demolished church. An amazing original 1960s neon sign stands out front.

(1966) Lupo D’Abruzzo6032 Ball Rd, Buena Park, CA 90620. This family-style Italian restaurant was opened by Gaetano and Sia DiLisio in 1966, when this area of Orange County was still quite rural. Seeing the exterior plastic sign anchoring this restaurant to its spot in the strip mall where it resides, a passerby wound have no clue to the mid-century history hiding behind its plate glass windows. With red leather booths, laminate tables and a half wall of wood paneling, the entire room is covered with Italian-style el fresco murals painted in 1966 by artist Stefano Falk. The restaurant has been owned since 1998 by the owner’s son, Cesare DiLisio and his wife Laurie.

(1967) Canton City121 N Garfield Ave, Montebello, CA 90640. Cantonese-style Chinese food in a casual, 1960s constructed dining room. Although its original vintage sign was replaced and the inside of the restaurant is partly redecorated, the dining room still has an old-school feel with turquoise booths, a rounded, sunken ceiling, Chinese decorative elements and chandeliers thrown into the mix. A mid-century river rock exterior is still fortunately original. This is among the oldest Chinese restaurants in the San Gabriel Valley. The Asian population in SGV, Chinese in particular, began increasing significantly in the mid-1970s and are now the leading demographic in many San Gabriel Valley neighborhoods.

(1967) Cask ‘n Cleaver8689 E 9th St, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730. Opened in 1967 on the corner of 9th and Madrone Avenue in Ranch Cucamonga by Chuck and Linda Keagle, this classic steakhouse took over a 1930s orchard house, built by Konstany Stys, a folk architect. Stys was also responsible for building 15 houses in the Russian Village District of Claremont, CA during the Great Depression. Constructed of brick, wood and river rock, the roofline is cantilevered and supported by full logs as beams. The windows are crisscrossed with gingerbread house-style lattice and a pond with waterfall in the back creates a retreat-like feel. When this property was built, it was the only building amongst ranches and vineyards, but the neighborhood has grown into a suburban outpost. The interior is full of rich burgundy leather booths, 1970s Colonial-style chairs, brick work, wood ceilings and walls, but most interestingly, the rustic log support beams can be found throughout the restaurant. Apparently Cask ‘n Cleaver were one of the earliest restaurants in the area to adopt a Salad Bar, and it is still on the menu today. A Riverside branch of the restaurant which opened in 1969, closed in October 2017, while branches in Fallbrook (1997-2008) and San Dimas have closed as well.

(1967) Clearman’s Northwoods Inn540 N Azusa Ave, Covina, CA 91722.A replica of the 1966 San Gabriel branch. A Yukon style dinner experience at a rustic-themed hunting lodge where the roof is bedecked with faux snow and its eaves hung with glistening faux icicles. The interior of this vintage restaurant chain gets even more interesting. Within its darkened cabin-like interior you will find wood beamed ceilings, red leather seating, stained glass as far as the eye can see and life-sized taxidermy bears. The first Clearman’s North Woods Inn was opened by John Clearman in San Gabriel, near the edge of Pasadena, in 1966, followed by this one in Covina in 1967. A third location was added in La Mirada in 1989, which can be seen from the north-bound 5 freeway. Bowls of peanuts are placed on each table and signs encourage patrons to festively “Throw Peanut Shells on the Floor”. The menu is standard surf & turf with enormous portions, and this would be a place to come to order a steak as big as your face. A reasonably priced Happy Hour is held in the cool and woodsy bar area, with discounts on both drinks and certain appetizers. Celebrated for their cheese bread and cabbage salad, these may be the only menu items, besides a few other appetizers, that your vegetarian friends will be willing to eat.

(1967) Di Pilla’s Italian Restaurant9013 Valley Blvd, Rosemead, CA 91770.
Opened by Tonino and Guiseppina Di Pilla, who immigrated from Italy in 1958. In 1979 their daughter, Claudia (Miss Rosemead 1974), took over the business and still runs it today. The interior is perfectly old school Italian kitsch, with brick walls, wood paneling, burgundy leather booths and trellises galore. Plastic grapes and grape vines are strung from the ceiling throughout.

(1967) Dinahs Chicken4106 San Fernando Road Glendale, CA 91204. Mid-century fast-food restaurant serving chicken & comfort food. Great period building with late ’60s font along with a giant chicken bucket on a pole that was supposedly a predecessor to KFC’s. Remodeled inside with a country, home style touch.

(1967) Los Cincos Puntos3300 East Cesar E Chavez Avenue, L.A., CA 90063. Market and authentic carniceria specializing in homemade tortillas, hand carved carnitas, tamales and other Mexican food served take-out counter-style. It is named Cinco Puntos (Five Points) because of the 5 points of intersecting streets at Chavez (Brooklyn), Lorena and Indiana. It has a market-style set up with a take-out counter and is a popular neighborhood favorite. Because of that, lines get long during lunch time. There are a few outside and indoor tables for eating.

(1967) Pinnacle Peak269 W Foothill Blvd, San Dimas, CA 91773. Pinnacle Peak restaurant opened in 1967 on Foothill Blvd in San Dimas, CA on what was once Route 66. The site was long ago a Wells Fargo stagecoach stop. Located in a low, ranch style building with its name on a covered wagon out front & a cow statue on its roof, this casual restaurant bills itself as the working man’s steakhouse. Serving a meat heavy menu, there are no vegetarian entree selections, but there are a few side dishes that are meat free. Inside is dark with wood paneling, plastic red & white checkered tablecloths and decor with an Old West kitsch theme. The restaurant celebrates a “no neckties allowed” rule and ties are cheekily cut from the neck of its owner, confiscated & hung from the rafters with a name tag attached. There are hundreds of ties in every color and pattern, making an eclectic and fun collection. A second location of the restaurant opened in the town of Colton in 1970.

(1967) The Proud Bird11022 Aviation Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045. American food, remolded in 2017 to be served food court style. Aviation history themed under LAX flight path . Gutted in a 1984 arson fire & rebuilt. It is among the restaurants by Speciality Restaurant Corporation, started by David Tallichet, a pioneer in themed restaurants, who began building them nationwide in 1958. SRC started and continues to operate several other themed vintage restaurants in the Los Angeles area, including The Castaway (1963), The Odyssey (1970), Orange Hill (1972) and the 94th Aero Squadron (1973).

(1967) Rufino’s938 Euclid St, Anaheim, CA 92802. Rufino’s Italian Restaurant opened in a strip mall in 1967 in Euclid St in Anaheim. It still has much of its vintage exterior, including a facade of multi-colored brick and columns built around the front door displaying the restaurant’s name. A modern plastic sign was recently added as well. Inside is festive and kitschy with black & white checkered floors, vintage black leather booths divided by trellises strewn with plastic grape leaves and Tiffany-style hanging lamps. One wall is all brick while the others are covered in murals depicting Italian scenes, including The Last Days of Pompei.

(1967) Scarantino’s Italian Inn1524 E Colorado St, Glendale, CA 91205. Opened in 1967 on Colorado Ave in Glendale by Jesse Scarantino, Scarantino’s Italian Inn has been owned by Jesse’s nephew, Jim, since 1981. This casual Italian restaurant has an exterior brick trimmed facade with the restaurant’s name across the front in original ’60s font, a wooden door and is adorned with two vintage lanterns. The interior is original 1960s as well, with wood paneled walls, brown leather booths, knobby wood room dividers and tables covered in traditional red and white checked table cloths.

(1967) Sugar Shack Cafe213 Main St, Huntington Beach, CA 92648. Small cafe, one block from the Pacific Ocean, opened by Pat & Mary Williams in 1967. It became a family business and in 1979 their daughter Michelle and her husband, Tim Turner took over operations. Featuring a long eating counter of raw, varnished wood, green vinyl stools, red clay tiled floors and wooden eating tables, nearly every inch of the walls are covered with photos and surfing memorabilia. Michelle and Tim’s sons, Timmy & Ryan Turner, are Hall of Fame surfers who sometimes assist with the restaurant. The cafe opens at 5:30am daily for early breakfast and closes at 2pm, serving American-style burgers, sandwiches, soups and salads.

(1967) Zig’s 6821 White Oak Ave, Reseda, CA 91335. Zig’s opened for business on White Oak Ave in Reseda in 1967 by Arnold “Zig” Zigman and his wife, Mary. They also owned a full-service restaurant by the same name on Ventura Blvd in Woodland Hills from 1974 to about 2011. This original location serves American diner food in a brightly-lit, utilitarian, late ’60s building with a red paneled roof. The interior features seating around a U-shaped counter and laminate tables with black vinyl booths.

(1968) Alpine Village833 W Torrance Blvd, Torrance, CA 90502. An eccentric collection of shops resembling an old European village surround this kitschy German restaurant in Torrance. Authentic, slightly weird and completely original, this sprawling old school place comes alive during Oktoberfest, but is relatively quiet most of the time. Serving traditional German food specialties and a giant selection of tap beer.

(1968) Brolly Hut11205 Crenshaw Blvd, Inglewood, CA 90303. Spectacular vintage octagon-shaped building mimicking an umbrella, built in 1968 by architect Victor Miller, serving fast-food hamburger fair. Upside-down umbrellas serve as light fixtures, vintage mosaic tiles, built in orange and brown molded plastic tables and chairs, and an amazing original sign. The interior features expansive glass windows and ceiling beams that react the spokes of an umbrella. It was originally called the Bumbershoot Cafe, like Brolly, a slang for umbrella. Super cheap fast-food style breakfasts ordered from a take-out window & known for their pastrami.

(1968) Globe German Deli1928 Harbor Blvd, Costa Mesa, CA 92627. Globe German opened in 1968 in a Costa Mesa strip mall. Its original owner’s name and story seems to be lost to history, as this deli market is now on at least its 6th owners in these 50 years. Rosy King & Friedel Adams-King were the third set of owners, followed by Winnifred and her husband, Randy and Michele Schultz and since 2015, Chris, his wife and son. But each new batch has kept the market much the same as when it opened. As a grocery, the store carries products from more than 16 countries specializing in German and Dutch items. It also operates as a German deli, serving more than half a dozen kinds of hot sausage, including bratwurst, knackwurst and kielbasa, hot meals such as goulash, schnitzel and rouladen, homemade sauerkraut and bottled or draft beer to wash it down. Meats and cheeses are displayed in long glass vintage deli cases and the little store stays happily in a place where time refuses to budge.

(1968) Mitsuru Cafe117 Japanese Village Plaza Mall, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Popular cafe located in what has been Japanese Village Plaza since 1984. Serving authentic and reasonably priced Japanese snack food, like red bean pancakes (imagawayaki) and shrimp/fish balls on a stick from a take-out window, there is also a diner serving traditional Japanese comfort food. The restaurant has original late-’60s knobbed wooden booths with brown leatherette padding, a drop ceiling and a long laminate eating counter. The exterior has a traditional Japanese wood slat facade and a modernized sign.

(1968) Mort’s Deli18452 Clark St, Tarzana, CA 91356. Classic Jewish deli with original ’60s sign and brick fronted exterior. Inside there are green leather booths, laminate wood tables and also counter seating. A fabulous attached bakery called Bea’s is authentic, opened in the early ’60s, and has been at this location since the strip mall was built in 1968. Opened by Philadelphia born Mort Medway, who ran it for nearly 50 years before selling it to Lana Pavlik and Gary Drexler in 2012 and passing away the next year.

(1968) The Town Cafe8722 Sunland Blvd, Sun Valley, CA 91352. The Town Cafe opened on Sunland Blvd in Sun Valley in 1968. This classic diner serves American food, but with a few Greek items on the menu, much like the typical east coast diners, which are commonly Greek-owned. The exterior, much like a circus tent, is bright and vibrant with 1960s colors of burnt orange, yellow and bright blue, trimmed by columns of mid-century river rock. A patio area, with a few umbrellas and some trellised plants, is sectioned off on the side of the building, near the large parking lot, underneath a big plastic sign declaring The Town Cafe a “family restaurant.” Inside the ’60s colors continue, with orange and red wall tiles behind the long curved breakfast counter and more of the vintage river rock. The booths were probably reupholstered in the 1980s, but still fit nicely into the coffee shop-style decor.

(1969) Don Cuco3911 Riverside Dr., Toluca Lake, CA 91505. Opened in 1969 by Mexican immigrant Augusto “Cuco” Salazar, who had started out in 1966 owning a bar next door called the Bucaneer in Toluca Lake and sold it to purchase this lot to build a restaurant. The exterior of the building is dressed like a Spanish villa with faux brick, old fashioned lanterns and clay tiles roof. The dark interior is rich with gorgeous stained glass, tile work, wrought iron and red leather booths with knobbed wood partitions. Serving old school Mexican food.

(1969) Dr. Hogly Wogly’s Tyler Texas BBQ8136 Sepulveda, Van Nuys, CA 91402. Simple, rustic feeling BBQ joint with wood paneled walls and booth-styled seating. There is also a small outdoor seating area with 1960s original concrete tables. It was opened by Johnny Greene from Texas, a former Piggly Wiggly delivery boy. The name came about because his wife used to tease him telling him, “You’re not a Piggly Wiggly, but a Hogly Wogly.”

(1969) El Colmao2328 Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90006. El Colmao, located in the Pico-Union area, is the oldest surviving Cuban restaurant in the Los Angeles area. It was opened in March 1969 by Eduardo Sousa, who fled Cuba after Fidel Castro took power and seized the successful restaurant he owned there. After 1960, refugees leaving Cuba arrived in Miami in such great numbers that the US government offered a resettlement program to those interested in moving to other states. Between 1961 and 1966 over 14,000 exiled Cubans moved to California. Echo Park became a “Little Havana” area for a time and Cuban restaurants and bakeries were established, including Portos (1976) on this list. Today, about 80,000 Cuban-Americans live in the Los Angeles area, and another 40,000 live in surrounding areas. Located in a strip mall, with vintage sign and storefront still intact, the inside of El Colmao is basic, with little remodeling. The walls still have their original wood paneling and chandeliers hang from a drop ceiling. An eating counter is covered in faux marble laminate. The restaurant is now owned by Eduardo’s daughter, Nelsa Sousa de Vivar.

(1969) El Tarasco316 Rosecrans Ave, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266. This tiny hut serving Mexican food can constructively be viewed as a hole in the wall. Opened by Celia and Moises Palomo, immigrants from Michoacan, Mexico, they opened a second location in El Segundo in 1977 that is still in operation. Celia passed away in 1997 and Moises in 1998. With tons of character, including walls covered in stickers, exposed brick, a wooden ceiling where posters, license plates and other ephemera are hung willy-nilly, the only anomaly is the eating counter made of polished marble- not the cool kind, but the kind found in bad home remodels starting in the early 2000s. With counter eating only, about a dozen black vinyl stool line both sides of the very thin room. The exterior is a festive bright yellow, with Mexican cartoon murals, located about 5 blocks from the ocean. There is rooftop outdoor table eating accessed by an outdoor side staircase.

(1969) Harold & Belle’s2920 W Jefferson Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90018. Crenshaw district Creole restaurant opened by New Orleans’ transplants Harold & Belle Legaux. It has been renovated several times; first in 1985 and then again in 2016. The interior is modern, with dark wood tables and hurricane glass lighting and a separate attached bar area.

(1969) House of Pies1869 N Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027. The last surviving House of Pies in Los Angeles is located on Vermont Ave and Franklin in Los Feliz and opened in 1969. It was part of a restaurant chain started in 1968 by the same man who founded International House of Pancakes. By 1971 there were 32 House of Pies franchises located in Southern California alone, and many more across the country. By 1980 this was the only surviving L.A. location. Housed in an old fashioned, cottage-like building, the architecture and inside lines of the restaurant are very late ’60s. The interior still has original remnants of river rock trim and angular windows, but the decor has been brought into the current century. Serving American coffee shop cuisine, they are known for their large selection of pies, which in their heyday stood at 60 varieties.

(1969) Hungry Harold’s3453 W Slauson Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90043. Hungry Harold’s is a fast food take-out restaurant located on Slauson Ave in South L.A. It was opened in 1969 by Harold Lageaux Jr., the son of New Orleans transplant Harold & Belle Lageaux, who opened the Los Angeles Creole restaurant Harold & Belle’s the same year. The stand is a traditional greasy spoon, with a ’60s hamburger stand vibe. It has seen better days, but has grit and authenticity.

(1969) La Abeja3700 N Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90065.La Abeja, which means The Bee in Spanish, opened in 1969 on Figueroa St in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles. It is a small, authentic Mexican restaurant with wood paneled walls and ceiling, wood laminate tables and burgundy vinyl booths. Located in a rounded building on a corner, the exterior is covered with murals inspired by Aztec and Mexican themes and was painted by artist Leo Limón. The restaurant, is now owned by Rogelio Fonseca, but was opened as a corner store with attached kitchen by his parents Jose and Gloria. It caters to locals, serving homey Mexican food and menudo on weekends. It has no liquor license, but beer can be brought in.

(1969) Lancers Restaurant697 N Victory Blvd, Burbank, CA 91502. With a bright turquoise boxy, yet zig-zagged, roofline countered with bright red plastic letters spelling out this restaurants name, Lancers is classic late ’60s coffee shop architecture. Freestanding, but located in the corner of a shopping plaza on Victory Blvd in Burbank, it has retained most of its vintage integrity, with only minor remodels over the years, primarily in the carpets, wall decor and upholstery. The eating counter is still sided with wood laminate and the wall behind is brick orange tile trimmed with black. Known for their daily specials of traditional American diner food, it is popular with the senior citizen crowd. A separate lounge room in the back is a quiet place to get a cocktail away from the coffee shop clientele.

(1969) Moreno’s4328 E Chapman Ave, Orange, CA 92869. Romantic old school Mexican in a former church building with patio dining and interior and exterior fountains. Brick wall, white picket exterior with gabled roof and cupola.

(1969) Shanghai Pine Garden300 Marine Ave, Newport Beach, CA 92662. Shanghai Pine Garden opened on the Balboa Island in Newport Beach in 1969 by Cheong Lee, who had immigrated to California in 1964. The building still has the 1960s exterior with stone facade and a stylized Chinese roof. The restaurant serves American-style Mandarin Chinese cuisine in a recently remodeled dining room. The interior is modern with Chinese decorative elements. Cheong Lee’s son, Wing Lam, went on to open the popular restaurant chain Wahoo’s Fish Tacos.

(1969) Spaghetti Bender6204 West Coast Hwy, Newport Beach, CA 92663. Italian restaurant with an old school country kitschy dining room that hasn’t been remodeled since 1976.

(1969) Taco Treat74 East Live Oak, Arcadia, CA, 91006. Family owned fast-food Mexican served from a small take-out shack, built in 1950, with a cool old sign. They specialize in crispy, deep fried burritos. The original owner, Harold Morrow, who was also a South Pasadena postman, passed away in 2011. Taco Treat is now owned by his daughter. There are picnic tables on the side for eating.

(1969) The Warehouse4499 Admiralty Way, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292. The Warehouse restaurant opened in 1969 on Marina Del Rey harbor by Burt Hixson with the intention of creating a themed tropical eating place in Southern California. He used salvaged wharf posts, intentionally weathered lumber, nautical ephemera, walls lined with whiskey barrels and furniture made from bamboo to create a rustic island vibe for this large waterfront eatery, which is still much the same as when it opened. Serving pricey seafood and steakhouse fare, they also offer a slightly more reasonable Sunday brunch buffet and a weekday happy hour.

(1970) Antonio’s Restaurant7470 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036. Opened before Melrose became trendy, this Mexican restaurant is dark, with an old school feel, including wrought iron, Mexican tile and walls full of old photos.

(1970) The Baked Potato3787 Cahuenga Blvd, Studio City, CA 91604. The Baked Potato opened on Cahuenga Blvd in Studio City, CA, in the area known as Cahuenga Pass in 1970. It is an intimate live jazz club known for specializing in serving entree-sized baked potatoes and a menu full of toppings. The space itself is very small, with wood paneled walls, a drop ceiling and small faux wood tables, closely jammed together. Black leather booths line the poster covered walls. 1970s stained glass lamps hang from the low ceiling. The stage is very low to the ground, so it is a great place to catch jazz greats and see them in a close-up setting.

(1970) Corsica Deli8111 Foothill Blvd, Sunland-Tujunga, CA 91040. This small Italian market, located on Foothill Blvd in Sunland, CA was opened in 1970 by Mary Paule Russo, who had relocated to Southern California from Montreal with her family as a child. With a hand painted sign in the colors of the Italian flag and colorful painted front windows, this small corner market also serves an array of hot and cold submarine sandwiches, along with lasagna, salads, cannoli and other Italian baked goods. With a long glass deli case and a vintage menu board straight out of the ’70s, its authentic and unpretentious.

(1970) Egg Heaven Cafe4358 E 4th St, Long Beach, CA 90814. Egg Heaven Cafe opened in 1970, in a building that had been constructed in 1923 and had previously housed a dress shop and then a cafe called Dubs. Open early mornings to early afternoons, the menu consists of hearty breakfasts, sandwiches, burgers and salads and payment is by cash only. With an old plastic sign and a wood trimmed and glass corner location, this small coffee shop features a long breakfast counter decoupaged with an artistic collage. The walls are brick and wood paneled, the booths are grey vinyl and the painted ceiling tiles go back to a 1973 art contest that the restaurant sponsored for local artists.

(1970) Hank’s Pizza442 W Manchester Ave, Playa Del Rey, CA 90293. Located in a small, alleyway shack, a few blocks from the Pacific ocean in Playa del Rey, Hank’s Pizza opened in 1970. Tiny and casual, with walls plastered by movie posters, a few cafe tables sit both inside and on a brick paved sidewalk out front. This locally loved pizza joint serves a full menu, including pasta, subs and hamburgers. The outside sign and awning have been modernized over the years, but the neighborhood feel remains.

(1970) Le Sanglier5522 Crebs Ave, Tarzana, CA 91356. Founded by Gil Pique and Alain Cuny on a small side street in Tarzana, CA, Le Sanglier is a pricey French restaurant with a dark, remodeled room and country French wallpaper and decor. Open for dinners only, the name of this white tablecloth fine dining restaurant translates to ‘the boar.’ The eaterywas purchased by Michael Khalatian in 2016.

(1970) The Odyssey15600 Odyssey Dr, Granada Hills, CA 91344. The Odyssey restaurant opened in 1970, up in the hills above Rinaldi Street, west of the 405 freeway in Granada Hills. It is a special occasion restaurant, serving American steak, seafood and weekend brunch, often used for weddings, events or other group celebrations, with patios and sprawling views of the San Fernando Valley. It is among the restaurants by Speciality Restaurant Corporation, started by David Tallichet, a pioneer in themed restaurants, who began building them nationwide in 1958. SRC started and continues to operate several other themed vintage restaurants in the Los Angeles area, including The Castaway (1963), The Proud Bird (1967), Orange Hill (1972) and the 94th Aero Squadron (1973). Serving American steak, seafood and weekend brunch, the Odyssey is full of many separate sprawling banquet rooms, connected by winding outside paths with fountains and fish ponds leading to decks with romantic views. The interior has been renovated many times over the years and currently seems like a mish mash of ’70s, ’80s and ’90s decor, with hotel-like carpets, etched glass and gawdy chandeliers, but lacking true kitsch. It’s really all about the views.

(1970) Pinnacle Peak2533 La Cadena Dr S, Colton, CA 92324. Second location of the 1967 San Dimas location. This casual restaurant bills itself as the working man’s steakhouse. Serving a meat heavy menu, there are no vegetarian entree selections, but there are a few side dishes that are meat free. The restaurant celebrates a “no neckties allowed” rule and ties are cheekily cut from the neck of its owner, confiscated & hung from the rafters with a name tag attached. There are hundreds of ties in every color and pattern, making an eclectic and fun collection.

(1970) Rutebegorz221 N Pomona Ave, Fullerton, CA 92832. Rutebegorz got its start out of a hippie coffee house, serving dessert, opened in 1970 by Paul Berkman and three college friends from Cal State Fullerton. The building itself was constructed in 1930 and was a doctor’s office for 40 years before it became the restaurant. Focusing on healthier vegetarian and vegan dishes as well as lean meats, such as chicken, turkey and fish, the menu is heavy with wraps, soups, salads and sandwiches, but also serves beer, wine and cocktails. With wooden tables, brightly colored murals, exposed brick walls and amazing vintage linoleum spread out over several rooms, the feel is light and eclectic, like its hippie origin. Two locations have opened in Orange and Tustin, after this original.

(1971) Alfredo’s Granada1100 W Victory Blvd, Burbank, CA 91506. Alfredo’s Granada Mexican restaurant was opened in 1971 on Victory Blvd in Burbank by Alfredo Bernal in the location of the former Sargents Restaurant. When Alfredo died in 2003, it was run by his family members until 2010, when it closed down and then re-opened yet again. Featuring early 1970s decor, olive colored booths, brick walls and a tile-roofed Mexican “hacienda” disguising the kitchen, it also has a separate attached bar area.

(1971) Angelo’s and Vinci’s550 N Harbor Blvd, Fullerton, CA 92832. Founded in 1971 by movie dancer and choreographer Steve Peck, in a building that had served as a produce market in early 1900s Fullerton, the atmosphere inside can best be described as eclectic. Jam-packed to the rafters with Italian inspired decoration & kitsch galore, the main dining room was decorated to appear as an outdoor square of an Italian village. With high cathedral ceilings, terra cotta brick and a cluttered palate of ephemera every single place you look, it is a throwback to the disappearing theme restaurants that were once common. Serving an Italian menu as well as a weekday express lunch buffet, the festive environment is also used frequently for parties and banquets.. Remodeled in 1992, the re-do actually helped uncover some of the early marketplace building’s early bones, adding to the vintage feeling.

(1971) Claro’s19 Huntington Drive, Arcadia, CA 91006. The second branch of Claro’s Italian market and deli originally opened in San Gabriel in 1948 by Joe Claro and his wife Mary. This second branch was started by their daughter Marylinda and her husband George Daddona in 1971. Basic brick-fronted building with awning and red linoleum floors, serving classic Italian deli and baked goods.

(1971) Howard’s Famous Bacon & Avocado Burgers11127 Venice, L.A., CA 90034. Located in a Westside strip mall, Howard’s is a simple old school fast food joint known for their burgers. With an original ’70s sign out front and a few orange molded booths with wood laminate tables and a bright orange venting hood over the grill, it likely looks very much like it did when it opened in 1972. Decor consists of old movie posters and a ceiling fan.

(1971) Pinocchio Italian Restaurant3103 W Magnolia, Burbank, CA 91505.
Right in the heart of Burbank is a most endearing puppet-themed family restaurant opened in 1971. Old-school Italian American food, ordered from a central counter, cafeteria-style, makes this a casual, yet fun experience. Pinocchio Restaurant has red leather booths, checked table cloths, mid-century tchotchkes and Pinocchio puppets displayed throughout. The attached Monte Carlo Deli sells authentic Italian products, many of which are hard to find west of Ohio. Wine is for sale by the bottle, or bring your own for a small corkage fee. The fun environment and inexpensive prices are part of the draw.

(1971) Shakers601 Fair Oaks, South Pasadena, 91030. Classic American diner food served in a 1964-built googie structure designed by Armet & Davis for the Prebles restaurant chain. It became the Salt Shaker in 1971, but the name was changed to Shakers in 1975. It still has much of the original 1970s interior.

(1971) Spires Restaurant22327 S Wilmington Ave, Carson, CA 90745. Spires is a chain of Southern California restaurants, serving coffee shop American food, founded in 1965 by Greek immigrant John Haretakis. The first location, now a Goldenwest Diner, was opened in 1965 on Euclid and Ball Streets in Anaheim. At its peek, there were 30 locations, but today there are only 8 locations left including Long Beach 1 (1979), Long Beach 2, Torrance (1976), Torrance 2 (1976), Tustin (1978), Ontario (1982) and Lawndale. All except the Lawndale location feature an octagonal shaped building, original plastic signs, wood paneled walls and vintage red tile on the walls behind the counter. These locations have not been remodeled and are very representative of 1970s restaurant interior decorating with brown or teal vinyl upholstered booths.

(1971) Van Nuys German Deli16155 Roscoe Blvd, North Hills, CA 91343. Authentic German market and deli serving wurst meat sandwiches, strudel, potato salad and more. Owned by its second owner of German nationality.

(1971) Way Station Coffee House24377 Main St, Santa Clarita, CA 91321. Way Station Coffee House opened in 1971 on Main St in Newhall, CA. Though the outside is quite nondescript, with a bit of brick trim and plate glass windows, the inside is eclectic and interesting. This small, old school coffee shop & diner serves breakfast & early lunch. The interior features a long formica counter, brown vinyl booths, a drop ceiling and a crowded wall full of vintage license plates create an authentic early ’70s vibe. The business was started by Stanley Bronstrup, who passed away in 2014.

(1972) Carmine’s II Caffe10463 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025. Run by the son of the first Carmine, who owned the Italian eatery once frequented by the Rat Pack. Remodeled interior & new sign.

(1972) Dhaba Indian Cuisine2104 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90405. Located two blocks from the Pacific Ocean in Santa Monica, Dhaba Indian Cuisine opened in 1972 and according to my current information, stands as the oldest surviving Indian restaurant in the L.A./OC area. Tight American immigration laws meant that only about 6,000 settlers from India immigrated to the United States between 1947 and 1965, and only a small amount of them then lived in Los Angeles. But between 1965-1975, when immigration laws became looser, over 100,000 East Indians arrived in the U.S., bringing their food and their restaurants. Dhaba Cuisine was opened in 1972 by Margaret Patel and she stills runs the business with her family. Inside features a basic dining room with wooden tables and chairs, along with simple decor and window treatments with traditional Indian motif. There is a romantic outdoor patio area with bamboo and foliage.

(1972) Good Neighbor Restaurant3701 Cahuenga Blvd, Studio City, CA 91604. The Good Neighbor restaurant opened in 1972 in a strip mall on the Cahuenga Pass in Studio City. It is a homey, casual Mom & Pop cafe with bright windows, checkerboard flooring and framed photos of celebrities lining the walls. Serving American-style breakfast & lunch foods, they close at 3pm daily.

(1972) Jenny’s Country Kitchen13319 Telegraph Rd, Whittier, CA 90605. This unassuming little cafe opened in 1972 in a strip mall that was constructed in 1961. The interior has been pretty much untouched since then, with wood paneled walls, dark red and green vinyl booths and a wood laminate breakfast counter in the back. The menu is a heavy mix of both “real” Mexican food- chilaquiles, menudo made daily, nopales & eggs, machaca and the kind of vintage American diner food that has been written off by many modern restaurants- chicken fried steak, grilled Polish sausage, meatloaf, egg salad sandwiches, plus the usual suspects.

(1972) Jim’s Burgers #101901 E 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90033. Part of the Jim’s Burgers chain, which began in 1958 in Bell. Amazing old school sign, interior plastic molded booths and exterior vintage umbrella tables. This building was constructed in 1953. Serving take-out style and drive-through fast food American and Mexican.

(1972) King Cole Pizza612 S Lorena St, Los Angeles, CA 90023. Casual pizza parlor in Boyle Heights with a fun, kitschy interior and a castle-themed exterior. Definitely straight out of the early ’70s, with a funky rec room/vintage feel.

(1972) Little Onion110 W MacArthur Blvd, Santa Ana, CA 92707. The first location of Little Onion Mexican restaurant was opened in 1969 by Lorin “Lorenzo” in Hawthorne, CA. He then he moved the restaurant to Santa Ana in October 1972. Located in a two-level freestanding building with a clay-tiled roof, the inside is spacious and dimly lit, filled with rich colors, dark wood, rustic brick and beautiful Mexican tile. The vintage leather booths are either burgundy or dark brown, depending on which section, and the tables are early ’70s wood laminate. A separate bar area also features an eating section.

(1972) Oomasa100 Japanese Village Plaza Mall, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Ōōmasa opened in 1972 in the Japanese Village Plaza in L.A.’s Little Tokyo neighborhood. Opened by Masaharu Motoyama, a 24-year old Japanese immigrant, it was one of the earliest sushi bars in Los Angeles. At that time it was also the largest, with forty seats. The exterior is boxy, dark slated wood, while the interior has a long sushi bar as well as booths and is embellish with Japanese decorative elements. The first sushi bar in L.A., Kawafuku, opened in 1966 in the same neighborhood, but is long gone.

(1972) Orange Hill Restaurant6410 E Chapman Ave, Orange, CA 92869.
Surf & turf. Elegant restaurant with wood beamed ceilings, white table clothes and sweeping views. It is among the restaurants by Speciality Restaurant Corporation, started by David Tallichet, a pioneer in themed restaurants, who began building them nationwide in 1958. SRC started and continues to operate several other themed vintage restaurants in the Los Angeles area, including The Castaway (1963), The Proud Bird (1967), The Odyssey (1970) and the 94th Aero Squadron (1973).

(1972) Prince O’ Whales335 Culver Blvd, Playa Del Rey, CA 90293. Opened in 1955 as the Bowspirit, it was bought by Steve Mayer in 1972 and turned into the Prince O’ Whales. It claims to be L.A.’s oldest sports bar. Serves breakfast, lunch & dinner.

(1972) Rainbow Bar & Grill9015 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069. Legendary 1970s- ’80s Sunset strip rock hangout that opened in place of Vincente Minelli’s Villa Nova. The restaurant part is un-remodeled old school with leather booths, a fireplace and memorabilia. Still serving a mostly Italian based menu, they are known for their pizza.

(1972) The Rusty Pelican2735 West Coast Hwy, Newport Beach, CA 92663. The last remaining restaurant of a ’70s-early ’90s chain started by a Newport life guard in 1967; upscale sea food, waterfront location.

(1972) The Shack185 Culver Blvd, Playa Del Rey, CA 90293. Serving burgers & bar grub in an old school wooden building one block from the beach, This well-worn bar/restaurant has a laid back vibe, with wood paneling, brick walls and a well-worn patio. The first opened of 6 other locations in Hawaii, Colorado & Santa Monica.

(1972) Suehiro Cafe337 E 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Along with Oomasa, this is one of the oldest operating restaurants in Little Tokyo. It is located in the 1882-built Sperl building. Serving basic Japanese food in a small, diner-like room with booths, tables and an eating counter.

(1973) 94th Aero Squadron16320 Raymer St, Van Nuys, CA 91406.
Built next to the runaway at Van Nuys airport & full of aviation memorabilia. Steakhouse/American menu. Opened in 1973 by David Tallichet, a World War II Army Air Corps veteran, as a means to share his love of all things aviation-related. The restaurant was modeled on a rustic Normandy farmhouse. Tallichet chose a spot on the sidelines of the airport’s long, straight runway and named it after the 94th Aero Squadron, a much revered U.S. Army Air Service unit during the first World War. The reason many people fall in love with 94th Aero Squadron is the entertainment, which involves watching airplanes take off and land just beyond a chain-link fence separating the red-bricked patio area from the nearby runway. It is an enchanting vantage point to see the planes come racing through and brings an aura of excitement and romance. Van Nuys Airport was built just before World War I, in a field growing banana squash, and has evolved into the longest and busiest general aviation runway in the world, with more than 700 airplanes coming and going every day. It was used as a location to Casablanca and was the place that Norma Jean Baker, before she became Marilyn Monroe, was “discovered” doing a photo shoot and subsequently offered her first screen test. Amelia Earhart used this runway, as did the much celebrated pilot Clay Lacy, who still eats here frequently. Clay coined the term “jet set” after regularly flying Frank Sinatra’s Rat Pack on a Learjet from this airport, equipped with a very necessary cocktail pouring service. There is a room dedicated to Clay and his lengthy aviation history. This is among the restaurants by Speciality Restaurant Corporation, started by Tallichet, a pioneer in themed restaurants, who began building them nationwide in 1958. SRC started and continues to operate several other themed vintage restaurants in the Los Angeles area, including The Castaway (1963), The Proud Bird (1967), The Odyssey (1970) and Orange Hill (1972).

(1973) Inn of the Seventh Ray128 Old Topanga Canyon Rd, Topanga, CA 90290. Romantic and pricey with a fairy tale, woodland atmosphere, brick paths and terrace, an abundance of outside seating, and a creek running through the property.

(1973) Izzy’s Deli1433 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90403. Opened in 1973 by Izzy Freeman, who was born in Brooklyn and raised after age 13 in Boyle Heights, Izzy’s father was a produce and deli vendor in downtown’s Grand Central Market. This 24-hour diner serves up classic American & Jewish favorites with many menu named for well-known longtime patrons. A celebrity “wall of fame” is highlighted with neon and features photographs and clippings of some of the regulars. The restaurant’s interior has had some remodeling over the years, but still keeps the ’70s integrity with wood laminate tables, brick walls, a wood paneled ceiling and the incredible orange knobbed wood lighting fixtures that have been in place since the deli opened. Izzy still hangs around the restaurant regularly to greet customers and friends.

(1973) Patrick’s Roadhouse106 Entrada Dr, Santa Monica, CA 90402. Funky cafe near the ocean with a large, casual menu. Built from a red car depot station that had already been transformed into a hot dog stand & then merged with the next door motel. Filled to the ceilings with antiques.

(1973) Rib Ranch BBQ4923 Topanga Canyon Blvd, Woodland Hills, CA 91364.
Originally opened in 1970 in Sepulveda, CA by owners Lenny and Bernie, whose portraits are displayed in the vintage ’70s molded plastic sign atop the roof. It is a cool, all wood shack, rustic & authentic, with a down home feel and outdoor seating too. It’s obviously meat-centric, but veggies can opt for the mac ‘n cheese & potatoes.

(1973) Rosa’s Mexican Restaurant322 PCH, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254. Rosa’s Mexican Restaurant was opened in 1973 on Pacific Coast Highway in Hermosa Beach by Rosa Perez, who immigrated to the United States from Mexico with her husband in 1966. Though Rosa retired and sold the business in 2010, this small, bright and festively painted storefront restaurant has had the same chef since it first opened. The walls are covered with multi-colored murals, the ceiling is sky blue and the tablecloths are in deep primary colors.

(1974) The Chowder Barge611 N Henry Ford Ave, Wilmington, CA 90744.
Located over some railroad tracks, down some stairs and in a somewhat hidden location, it is L.A. Harbor’s only floating restaurant. Built in 1934 as a support vessel for the film Mutiny on the Bounty, it was cemented in place and turned into a restaurant in 1974. With amazingly cheap food prices on burgers, fish & chips and of course tasty chowder, you can actually pull up on your boat, tie down your rig and have a strong drink at the bar inside while fantasizing that you are co-starring in an episode of Magnum P.I. The interior is straight out of the mid-’70s, complete with wood beamed ceilings and the prerequisite hanging cone fireplace. This is thankfully not a place to hobnob with tourists, but rather a place to experience local atmosphere and real flavor in a most intriguing setting- right on L.A.’s docks.

(1974) El Farolito201 S Bradford Ave, Placentia, CA 92870. El Farolito, which translates to the “light of hope,” was opened on Bradford Ave in Placentia in 1974 as the dream of Mexican immigrant family, the Sandovals. Still family owned, more than half of the 30-something employees are family members. Located in a small freestanding building, the interior is bright, casual and simple with clay tiled floors and walls lined with paintings of Mexican images.

(1974) Fiddler’s12721 Glenoaks Blvd, Sylmar, CA 91342. Fiddler’s restaurant in Sylmar is a delicious time travel to 1974, the year this cozy coffee shop/diner opened for business. The restaurant first opened as a Fiddler’s Three, part of a chain of coffee shops with locations scattered throughout Southern California. When the chain closed, this restaurant continued on with new owners, dropping the ‘Three’ part of its name and thankfully never remodeling. With black tufted leather booths and laminate wood tables, the restaurant is trimmed unintentionally with enough ’70s decorating kitsch to imagine that time never passed. and that is a good thing. A diner counter looks out to brick walls and wooden sideboard and has original tan leather swivel seats attached. The menu is mainly American diner cuisine, with a few Mexican items thrown in.

(1974) Gilbert’s El Indio2526 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405. Opened by Gilberto and Carmen Rodriguez in May 1974, Gilbert’s El Indio serves Mexican food in a stuccoed early 1970s building with brick trim, a Spanish clay tiled roof and a vintage plastic sign. Entrance is through the back, past “El Indio,” a well-loved life-sized wooden Indian statue. The ’70s feel continues with an interior of wood paneled walls plastered with photographs, stained glass lamps, wood laminate tables and burgundy colored booths. The cluttered decor adds to the ambiance and is a mixture of Mexican and Native American themes. The restaurant is still run by Carmen, her children and grandchildren.

(1974) George’s Drive-in9910 Magnolia Ave, Riverside, CA 92503. George’s Drive-in opened in 1974 in Riverside, CA by George and Zaharoula Alexiou. It is an old fashioned fast food drive-in, enclosed in glass windows, serving burgers, Mexican food, ice cream and grinders. Outside picnic tables are available to eat at.

(1974) Label’s Table 9226 Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90035. This bare bones Jewish deli was opened in 1974 in the Pico-Robertson neighborhood of Los Angeles by La Kaplan and Leo Haas with the concept of offering good deli food at less expensive prices in a no frills storefront. It has been owned by Bruce Krakoff since 1981, who can be commonly be found working the counter. Though basic, it has a genuine feel because it hasn’t likely been remodeled since it opened for business. In a brightly lit room with drop ceilings and ceiling fans, ’70s fast food style molded laminate booths in a faux wood finish stand in front of vintage glass deli cases installed in the same era. Ordering of Jewish deli meat sandwiches, bagels and lox, white fish, chopped liver, creamed herring, matzoh ball soup and the like are from the counter and either taken out or brought to the booths to eat.

(1974) Neptune’s Net42505 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265. Neptune’s Net is a casual ocean front seafood restaurant opened by Paul and Dolly Seay in 1974 on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, CA. Originally built in 1956 as a burger restaurant and gas station called Panorama Pacific at Solimar and nicknamed Jake’s Place, the restaurant side and kitchen area are part of the original building while the patio area and take-out windows were added after it became Neptune’s Net in 1974. The patio section, known as the “seafood side” features covered outdoor communal picnic table dining, while the “restaurant side” has interior plastic molded booths with tables, ceiling fans and large glass windows. All ordering, on both sides is done counter style.

(1974) Sagebrush Cantina23527 Calabasas Rd, Calabasas, CA 91302. This popular Mexican restaurant and party spot was opened by Bob McCord in 1974, when Calabassas was merely a dusty, dry area off the 101 Freeway that once had a stagecoach stop. McCord had worked as a Hollywood sound man on the TV show ‘Death Valley Days,’ and while on location in Arizona he was in a small plane crash that killed the two co-workers who were with him. McCord survived with a broken back and broken ankle, but had to wait two days to be rescued. He used his settlement money to rent a storefront next to the historic 1844-built Leonis Adobe and created Sagebrush Cantina, a one room restaurant using a hot plate, a few tables and two employees. The storefront was built in the early 1920s by Lester Agoure. What is now the cantina’s parking lot once was the local jail. By the early ’80s the success of his Mexican spot was so great that he had expanded the restaurant to seat 800 people and had 150 employees. The large restaurant, features high wood beamed ceilings, a cement floor is filled with western-style props, a small plane hanging from the ceiling, saw dusted floors, model ships and a small train in the parking lot. McCord passed away in 2008.

(1974) Ye Olde King’s Head116 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401. When Ye Olde King’s Head first opened in 1974 by British-born Phil Elwell and wife Ruth, one block from the Pacific Ocean in Santa Monica, the neighborhood surrounding it was Skid Row. They took over the space of a dive bar called the Brass Bell and started a traditional British pub that grew to include a casual restaurant, tea room, outdoor patio and gift shop. Serving classic British food, such as bangers & mash, shepherd’s pie, fish & chips, Scotch eggs and pints on tap, there are dart boards and afternoon tea. The interior is a mixture of exposed brick, hardwood ceilings, a working fireplace and a wooden bar, the walls well-decorated with British memorabilia and antiques. A tea room has walls of vermillion and round leather booths of dark cherry red. Keith Moon, rambunctious drummer for the band the Who was kicked out of the pub in the mid-1970s for simulating sex on the floor in the bar area and trashing the toilets, while other well-known Brits like Tom Jones, Rod Stewart, Cary Grant, Davy Jones, Graham Chapman, Ozzy Osbourne, Sid Vicious, Billy Idol have raised a pint here over the years. Phil and Ruth, retired in 2005 and Ye Olde Kings Head is now owned by Paul Boetcher and Donal Tavey. A Studio City branch opened in 2012, but closed shortly after three years.

(1975) El Burrito1095 W Colton Ave, Redlands, CA 92374. El Burrito got its start in 1949 Colton, CA when Robert L. Meister, a railroad worker, built ABC Drive-in to sell hamburgers, hotdogs, milkshakes and soda out of a 400-square-foot shack with a counter window and outdoor tables. Eight years later, in 1957, he realized that Mexican food was the direction he wanted to head in and changed the shack’s name to El Burrito. His son, Jim Meister, then opened a second El Burrito in San Bernardino (closed in 1999) and in 1975 opened this third Redlandse location as well. Located in a red painted brick building, it consists of a take-out window and outdoor seating. The original location closed in November 2015 and the Redlands El Burrito is the only one surviving, owned by Ted Nece, the grandson of original founder R.L. Meister.

(1975) El Compadre7408 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90029. El Compadre Mexican restaurant was opened by David Castro and Mario Jimenez on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood in 1975. Dark and atmospheric, with a mysterious old world hacienda feeling, the restaurant features dark red leather booths, wood beamed ceilings, wrought iron, stained glass hanging lamps, vintage knobby wood partitions and Mexican themed paintings on the walls. Known for their flaming margaritas, mariachi bands and homemade tortilla chips, two more locations were opened in Echo Park (2004) and downtown L.A. (2014).

(1975) The Kettle1138 Highland Ave, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266. The Kettle restaurant was built in Manhattan Beach, CA in 1973 by Wally Botello on a lot of an Atlantic Richmond gas station. Wally owned the restaurant until 1976, when it was sold to A.J. Simms, who had started in the restaurant business by running the commissary at MGM Studios and then owned several Ben Franks restaurants in Los Angeles (one at 8th and Western & two in Hollywood.) A comfortable and casual 24-hour restaurant, it is known for the big iron kettle sign on its roof, emblazoned with neon and painted fire, as well as its American-style food and hearty all night breakfasts. Though it has been remodeled and expanded over the years, the inside still has a bright, homey atmosphere with wooden floors, booths, an eating counter and an outdoor patio. Located on a corner, a couple blocks from the Pacific Ocean, it is still run by the children of A.J. Simms.

(1975) King Taco #11118 Cypress Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90065. First location of the worshiped fast food taco chain that became the blueprint of taco shops nationwide. Started out of a truck in mid-1974 and expanded into a brick and mortar store six months later.

(1975) Moffet’s Chicken Pie Shop1409 S Baldwin Ave, Arcadia, CA 91007.
Authentic strip mall diner specializing in serving comfort food, particularly pot pies. Homey and decorated with ’70s country kitsch, from floral wallpaper to colonial American-style wood furniture and hanging stained glass lamps, its mirrored wall menu is still painted in the original ’70s hues of orange, brown and goldenrod. They also are known for their homemade dessert pies as well. Opened by Al Moffet, who with his brother Henry had run a successful chicken pie restaurant, Phillip’s, on Pine Street In Long Beach, which closed in the early 1970s. Henry opened Henry Moffet’s Old Fashioned Chicken Pie Restaurant in Bellfower, which closed in 2007.

(1975) More Than Waffles17200 Ventura Blvd #109, Encino, CA 91316. Breakfast spot specializing in elaborate waffles and other morning favorites. Built in the Encino Town Center which opened the same year. Homey, country decor. The whole shopping center was remodeled in 1993.

(1975) Original Pizza Cookery6209 Topanga Canyon, Woodland Hills, CA 91367. The Original Pizza Cookery opened on Topanga Canyon Blvd in Woodland Hills in 1975. Though it many not look like much from outside, with a standard sign, located in the back of a strip mall, this place really is a hidden gem… Inside is pure old-school 1970s Italian American, with a darkened interior, lots of wood paneling, sturdy booths with wood dividers, sawdust on the floors, stained glass faux-Tiffany hanging lamps, tons of ’70s rustic brick and more, this place has a vibe that is authentic and hard to reproduce. A row of vintage cigarette machines and a waiting room with video games that were installed in the early ’80s add to the ambiance.

(1975) Paco’s Tacos4141 S Centinela Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90066. Paco’s Tacos is a full-service Mexican restaurant opened in 1975 on Centinela Ave by Paco Francisco. Located in a brick-fronted building with a Spanish tile roof, it has mid-1970s plastic signs out front. The interior features lively, fun interior decor with tile bordered walls, Mexican-themed murals, large fishtanks, stained glass, painted wooden ceiling beams and eclectic fishing and hunting ephemera hanging from the ceiling. A scene from the film Jerry Maguire was filmed here.

(1975) Roma Market918 N Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104. Italian import market that opened in Pasadena in 1953 and began serving signature deli sandwiches in 1975. Modern exterior, authentic and cluttered interior. Not connected to the North Hollywood Roma Deli.

(1975) Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles1514 N Gower St, Los Angeles, CA 90028. Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles was opened 1975 on Gower Ave in Hollywood, CA by Harlem, NY born Herb Hudson. Serving soul food and a unique combination of friend chicken served with waffles, Herb’s famous friends in the local music and TV businesses spread the word about his business to help it get established. The Hollywood location, which often has long lines, is the original restaurant, but it soon grew to a chain. The exterior is basic brick and wood, while the inside is casual, with a wood planked ceiling, tile floors, brick and wood paneled walls and framed photos of celebrities.

(1976) Chao Krung111 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036. Chao Krung opened for business in October 1976 and is believed to be the second Thai restaurant to open in L.A., giving it the distinction of being the oldest remaining in the city. Owned by Supa Kuntee, who inherited it from her family and began cooking here in 1989, this Fairfax Avenue storefront restaurant has plastic signs and an awning out front. The dining room and Thai-themed bar were remodeled in 2016 and than has taken away the mid- ’70s vintage vibe, leaving the space with a slick, modern feel and taking away much of the space’s soul. The first wave of Thai immigrants began settling in L.A. during the late 1960s and the first Thai restaurant here opened in 1969 on 8th Street and Vermont Avenue. It was a little market with a few tables and long after closing, its name is lost to history.

(1976) Conrad’s861 E Walnut St, Pasadena, CA 91101. Conrad’s opened in 1976 on Walnut Street in Pasadena. It is a classic, unremodeled mid-70s diner and a complete throwback to the decorating scheme of the year it was built. The exterior logo is in a bright orange mid-’70s font, while the interior features wood paneled walls, original lighting fixtures, beveled glass, wood laminate tables, rust colored tufted booths and an attached cocktail lounge. Serving classic diner food, a second “frozen in time” location opened in 1979 in Glendale and is still operating today.

(1976) Kouraku314 E 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Remodeled diner-like Little Tokyo cafe which stakes claim to being the first true ramen restaurant in the United States. Open late night hours.

(1976) Pacific Diner3821 S Pacific Ave, San Pedro, CA 90731. Pacific Diner was opened on Pacific Ave in San Pedro, CA in 1976 by Dennis and Paula Juett in a space that had previously held the Pilot Cafe as far back as the 1950s. The diner serves American-style breakfasts and lunches, out of a small house with L-shaped counter and large patio eating area. It is decorated with nautical touches, given its location a few blocks away from the ocean.

(1976) Palermo1858 N Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027. Palermo restaurant opened by Anthony Fanara in 1976 and was originally located on Hillhurst Ave in a small 18-seat space. It moved to its current location on Vermont Avenue in 1982 where it expanded to 48 seats and then eventually to 180. The inside features burgundy leather booths, knobby wood booth dividers, deep red carpeting, Italian themed wall murals, a hallway full of framed headshots and arches built to appear as old Roman building columns. The exterior has plastic signs, a few outdoor eatings tables and an awning in the colors of the Italian flag.

(1976) Porto’s315 N Brand Blvd, Glendale, CA 91203. Busy Cuban bakery opened by Rosa and Raul Porto in 1976 out of an Echo Park storefront on Sunset Boulevard. Moved to Glendale in 1978 & to this location in the early ’90s.

(1976) Shibucho3114 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90057.
Traditional, yet pricey sushi at one of L.A.’s earliest sushi bars, opened several years before the ’80s trend. This restaurant has no menu and serves omakase only, meaning that you inform the chef how much you will be spending and the meal is created from that. The sushi bar itself has about 10 seats and there are a few tables, so reservations are highly recommended.

(1976) Spires Restaurant21107 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90503. Spires is a chain of Southern California restaurants, serving coffee shop American food, founded in 1965 by Greek immigrant John Haretakis. The first location, now a Goldenwest Diner, was opened in 1965 on Euclid and Ball Streets in Anaheim. At its peek, there were 30 locations, but today there are only 8 locations left including Carson (1971), Long Beach 1 (1979), Long Beach 2, Torrance 2 (1976), Tustin (1978), Ontario (1982) and Lawndale. All except the Lawndale location feature an octagonal shaped building, original plastic signs, wood paneled walls and vintage red tile on the walls behind the counter. These locations have not been remodeled and are very representative of 1970s restaurant interior decorating with brown or teal vinyl upholstered booths.

(1976) Spires Restaurant1750 Sepulveda Blvd, Torrance, CA 90501. Spires is a chain of Southern California restaurants, serving coffee shop American food, founded in 1965 by Greek immigrant John Haretakis. The first location, now a Goldenwest Diner, was opened in 1965 on Euclid and Ball Streets in Anaheim. At its peek, there were 30 locations, but today there are only 8 locations left including Carson (1971), Long Beach 1 (1979), Long Beach 2, Torrance 2 (1976), Tustin (1978), Ontario (1982) and Lawndale. All except the Lawndale location feature an octagonal shaped building, original plastic signs, wood paneled walls and vintage red tile on the walls behind the counter. These locations have not been remodeled and are very representative of 1970s restaurant interior decorating with brown or teal vinyl upholstered booths.

(1977) Buchanan Arms Restaurant & Pub2013 W Burbank, Burbank, CA 91506. Traditional British pub grub in a comfortable room with colonial-revival wooden chairs, exposed brick walls & red leather booths. It had an exterior “facelift” in 2015 and replaced its cool old 1970s sign with a new one. The inside still has a lot of its ’70s character left.

(1977) Dizz’s As Is 2794 S Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach, CA 92651. Dizz’s As Is was opened by the Pitz family in 1977 on Pacific Coast Hwy in Laguna Beach, CA. Located in a 1920s house filled with a mish mash of 1920s to 1930s antiques and a romantic outside patio area, it serves a steak & sea food based menu. The name “Dizz’s” came about because the property had been purchased from a couple who were into the Timothy Leary hallucinogenic scene, conjuring up the idea of dizziness. The term “As Is” was added when the Pitz’s decided to use the eclectic mix-matched dishes and furnishings left behind by the LSD couple to decorate their restaurant.

(1977) El Migueleno Restaurant2301 Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90007. El Milgueleno was opened on Vermont Ave in November 1977 by Maria Montenegroon, an immigrant from El Salvador. It is one of the earliest Salvadorian restaurants to open in L.A., and it likely the oldest surviving one. The Salvadoran community eventually became established in this neighborhood beginning in the 1980s when hundreds of thousands of Salvadoran immigrants fled a violent civil war in their home country. This stretch of Vermont Ave received an official neighborhood name in 2012 and is known as the El Salvador Community Corridor. Serving large servings of Salvadorian favorites, this little storefront restaurant is basic, casual and no frills, with a handful of tables in a very basic room. The exterior is non-descriptive as well, located in a rectangular cement building with a long gated awning and plastic orange and yellow letters.

(1977) Hu’s Szechwan10450 National Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90034. Hu’s Szechwan is a small, basic and casual Chinese restaurant, opened in 1977 on National Blvd in the Palms neighborhood of Los Angeles. With a simple dining room consisting of modern tables and chairs and a few Chinese decorations, it is family owned and run by brothers Derek and Eric Hu. The building was constructed in 1959, with an exterior trimmed in vintage river rock and plastic signs dating to the restaurant’s opening.

(1977) Pat and Lorraine’s4720 Eagle Rock Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90041.
Mid ’70s diner serving breakfast & lunch. It is infamous for being the location of the opening scene in Reservoir Dogs in which the characters dissect the Madonna song “Like a Virgin.”

(1977) Shinano1106 S Atlantic Blvd, Monterey Park, CA 91754. One of the oldest Japanese restaurants in the San Gabriel Valley. Traditional Japanese and sushi served in a dining room with booths, oriental decorative touches and private tatami rooms.

(1977) Steer ‘n Ale 3644 E Foothill Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91107. Still stuck in 1970s perfection, the Steer ‘n Ale probably has not had a bit of remodeling since the day it opened in 1977. With wood paneled walls, a red brick floor, circular booths of burnt umber vinyl, faux Tiffany hanging lamps, wood laminate tables, murals of cowboys and Indians and wooden colonial-style club chairs, this is the epitome of a ’70s family steakhouse, complete with day of the week specials and Friday fish and chips.

(1977) The Spot110 2nd St, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254. The Spot opened in 1977, one block from the ocean in Hermosa Beach, CA. Known as the oldest surviving vegetarian restaurant in Los Angeles, it was bought by chefs Tonya and Maurice Beaudet in 1980 and has been owned by them ever since. With a great vintage appearing exterior, a bright red overhang, almost appearing circus-like and a neon sign in an art-deco type font, the interior, with hard wood floors and white washed walls, feels like a dining room in someone’s private home. An exterior patio, with walls of wood and paved with tile, feels rustic and relaxing.

(1977) Yang Chow819 N Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Yang Chow opened in 1977 on Broadway in Los Angeles’ Chinatown, in a space formerly inhabited by a diner. The restaurant serves Mandarin and Szechuan style cuisine, and is known for their slippery shrimp. It was started by a family of five brothers, the Chan family, who have since opened two other branches of the restaurant in Pasadena and Canoga Park. The interior lacks any vintage touches and features a small, basic dining room with booths and photos on the walls.

(1978) The Bull Pen314 Ave I, Redondo Beach, CA 90277. The Bull Pen restaurant opened on Pacific Coast Highway in Redondo Beach in 1948. Family owned, it moved a total of 3 times before finally settling in its current space in 1978, a strip mall on Avenue I in Redondo. The exterior is simple brick with 1970s plastic signs and a thick wooden door with multi-colored bottle glass, a hint to the old school magic inside. Serving American steak house fare, prime rib, sea food and burgers, the dark interior is like a step back in time. Black leather semi-circular booths, a long wooden bar with black bucket seats, knobbed wood and stained glass chandeliers are all original. A visit here on a weekday afternoon found the seats at the bar nearly full of an older clientele day drinking with lunch.

(1978) Chicken Box330 E Whittier Blvd, La Habra, CA 90631. Chicken Box Restaurant opened in 1978 on Whittier Blvd in La Habra, CA. Located inside a tiny house, this quaint country-styled chicken restaurant is fronted by a white picket fence and has interior gingham wallpaper. Food is ordered counter style, but there are front porch tables available for outside eating.

(1978) Dong il Jang 3455 W 8th St, Los Angeles, CA 90005. This is the oldest surviving Korean restaurant I have been able to locate in the area so far. With a small amount of early Korean immigrants arriving after 1905, there were only 650 Korean residents in Los Angeles by the 1930s. There was a larger influx in the mid-’50s after the Korean war ended, especially after 1965 when immigration laws loosened to the United States. By the late ’70s, most businesses in the Olympic Boulevard and 8th Street area were owned by Koreans and eventually become known as Koreatown. Today, Los Angeles has the largest Korean population of any city in the United States. Dong il Jang, which translates to “No. 1 in the East” was opened by Sung Woon Kim in 1978. Serving traditional Korean dishes and BBQ in a room with tufted maroon booths, a koi pond and Asian decorative elements, son Roy Kim runs daily operations.

(1978) Jitlada5233 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027. Located in a Hollywood strip mall, this Thai restaurant may be the 2nd oldest surviving Thai restaurant in Los Angeles. The first wave of Thai immigrants began settling in L.A. during the late 1960s and the first Thai restaurant in L.A. opened in 1969 on Vermont Avenue. It is no longer remaining. The oldest surviving appears to be Chao Krung on Fairfax, which opened in 1976. Small, cozy, two rooms with with drop ceilings and Thai decorations, it serves authentic Southern Thai cuisine. It is well respected by food connoisseurs and has very extensive choices. The front part of the menu is traditional Thai food, well-known by Americans, but the back part of the menu offers rare and authentic items. There is even a menu section called “Adventurous and Bizarre Foods” featuring Silk Worms, whole eels, whole squid and much more.

(1978) Old World German Restaurant 7561 Center Ave, Huntington Beach, 92647. A kitschy restaurant resembling an old European village serving German & Austrian food. Taking up nearly a city block, the stores that make up the village all have German facades. The restaurant has multiple indoor and outdoor areas, including a bar, all decorated with the “old world” theme. There is a huge banquet area where they host Oktoberfest & other parties and a sprawling courtyard area where they host weiner dog races one Sunday a month.

(1978) Spires Restaurant13451 Newport Ave, Tustin, CA 92780. Spires is a chain of Southern California restaurants, serving coffee shop American food, founded in 1965 by Greek immigrant John Haretakis. The first location, now a Goldenwest Diner, was opened in 1965 on Euclid and Ball Streets in Anaheim. At its peek, there were 30 locations, but today there are only 8 locations left including Carson (1971), Long Beach (1979), Long Beach 2, Torrance (1976), Torrance 2 (1976), Ontario (1982) and Lawndale. All except the Lawndale location feature an octagonal shaped building, original plastic signs, wood paneled walls and vintage red tile on the walls behind the counter. These locations have not been remodeled and are very representative of 1970s restaurant interior decorating with brown or teal vinyl upholstered booths.

(1979) Conrad’s820 N Central Ave, Glendale, CA 91203. Conrad’s opened on Central Ave in Glendale in 1979. It is the second branch of another existing Conrad’s in Pasadena, which was built in 1976. They both serve American coffee shop/diner faire. This location is open 24-hours. Much of the interior is original late ’70s, with blonde wood paneled walls, a long diner counter of wood laminate, polished brick walls and unusual discotheque era paneled ceiling lights. The dining area has large semi-circular booths and 1970s chandeliers, but the upholstery looks like it had a late ’80s update. There is an outdoor eating area and an attached bar with dimmer lighting, more booths and wood beamed ceilings.

(1979) Fromin’s1832 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90403. This Jewish deli was opened in 1979 by Dennis Fromin, who was born in Los Angeles and raised in Chicago and still owns the restaurant today with a partner. His family owned delicatessens for four generations and in the 1960s moved back to California, where his father opened a restaurant in Encino. Dennis opened his own Century City deli in 1974, closing it to open Fromin’s five years later. The exterior still features the deli’s name in the original white plastic 1970s font, while the inside has had basic remodeling over the years. Though three other branches of Fromin’s were opened in the 1980s (Encino, Rancho Mirage, Simi Valley), this is the only surviving location.

(1979) La Fuente5530 Monte Vista St, Los Angeles, CA 90042. This small Highland Park Mexican restaurant has kept its late ’70s authenticity in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood. Located in a small house with original vinyl booths, laminate wood tables and old-world Mexican touches, such as iron lanterns, brick-edged porticoes and wood beamed ceilings.

(1979) Paru’s5140 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027. One of the oldest surviving Indian restaurants in Los Angeles, after Dhaba Indian, which opened in 1972 in Santa Monica. A charming and romantic indoor/outdoor eating area are a surprise when entering from outside gritty Sunset Blvd. Originally established in 1975 in Washington DC, it moved to L.A. in 1979. Serving traditional vegetarian Southern Indian cuisine.

(1979) Pioneer Chicken6323 E Florence Ave, Bell Gardens, CA 90201. One of the last two remaining franchises of the once extremely popular Los Angeles created fried chicken chain that began in Echo Park in 1961. At its peak in 1987 there were 270 restaurants. The remaining two locations both have original signs and architecture.

(1979) Spires Restaurant2590 N Lakewood Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90815. Spires is a chain of Southern California restaurants, serving coffee shop American food, founded in 1965 by Greek immigrant John Haretakis. The first location, now a Goldenwest Diner, was opened in 1965 on Euclid and Ball Streets in Anaheim. At its peek, there were 30 locations, but today there are only 8 locations left including Carson (1971), Long Beach 2, Torrance (1976), Torrance 2 (1976), Tustin (1978), Ontario (1982) and Lawndale. All except the Lawndale location feature an octagonal shaped building, original plastic signs, wood paneled walls and vintage red tile on the walls behind the counter. These locations have not been remodeled and are very representative of 1970s restaurant interior decorating with brown or teal vinyl upholstered booths.

(1979) Thành Mỹ Vietnamese9553 Bolsa Ave, Westminster, CA 92683. The history of Vietnamese restaurants in Southern California is rather recent. The first wave of Vietnamese immigrants arrived here after Saigon fell in 1975. They were often called “boat people” because many of them escaped in homemade wooden boats. In 1975 nearly 20,000 Vietnamese were accepted into California as refugees and were living at Camp Pendleton in eight different camps. Another wave of refugees arrived in 1978-1979. Many settled permanently in Orange County, where they started businesses, including restaurants. Thành Mỹ is the oldest surviving Vietnamese restaurant in the Los Angeles area that I have been able to locate so far. Opened by the Nguyen family in 1979 in Westminster, an area then surrounded by orange groves and strawberry fields, the area would eventually be called Little Saigon. The restaurant’s name was created by combining the first names of the owner and his wife. Located in the corner of a strip mall, Thành Mỹ is basic and modern looking inside, with a drop ceiling and Asian decorative touches, it serves Southern Vietnamese cuisine with over 200 dishes on its menu.

(1979) Tony’s Italian Deli1124 W Magnolia Blvd, Burbank, CA 91506. Small, corner deli serving sandwiches and Italian dishes in a small room with a few tables. The original 1970s sign still hangs above the roof.

(1980) Azteca12911 Main St Main Street, Garden Grove, CA 92840. Mexican restaurant which originally opened at another Garden Grove location in 1957 before moving to its current spot in 1980. It is jam packed with Elvis memorabilia in every available spot from floor to ceiling. The Elvis collection was added to the restaurant in 1993, when the current owned inherited the business from his aunt, the original owner.

(1980) Continental Basque316 W Rte 66, Glendora, CA 91740. Continental Basque was opened in 1980 by Jean and Elisabeth Sabarots, immigrants from the Basque region of Europe, a mountainous area in the western Pyrenees, straddling the border between France and Spain. This is the second oldest surviving Basque restaurant I’ve been able to find in the Los Angeles area after Centro Basco, located in Chino (1940). Most of Southern California’s Basque settlers arrived between the 1930s to 1960s to work in the area’s numerous dairies, then spread out far and wide from the South Bay to the Inland Empire, but many others assumed the traditional Basque occupation of sheepherding. Though California has the largest Basque population of any US state, the restaurants are not so common. Bakersfield has the largest concentration of Basque restaurants in the United States. Located on Route 66 in Glendora, Continental Basque has a few rooms, a brighter dining room with rust colored booths, wood and Basque-style decorating touches, an unadorned banquet room, where “family-style” Basque meals are common and a lounge that is decidedly vintage in decor, cozy with dimly-lit 1960s-’70s flavor, including a bar made of tufted rust-colored leather with wood laminate top, matching U-shaped booths, comfy tufted captain chairs, a chandelier made from deer antlers and a small stage for live music.

(1980) The Dragon966 S Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90006. The Dragon restaurant on Vermont Ave and the corner of Olympic in the Koreatown neighborhood of Los Angeles, was opened in 1980. Serving Korean influenced Northern Chinese comfort food, it is well-respected in the local community as a special event restaurant, mainly because it features 15 private banquet rooms in addition to the main dining room. Opened by T.J. Wang, a man of Chinese ancestry who immigrated to Los Angeles from Seoul, Korea in 1971, he continues to run the restaurant today. The space is brightly lit and modern, with ornate Oriental decorative touches.

(1980) Le Chêne12625 Sierra Hwy, Santa Clarita, CA 91390. Out on the rustic Sierra Highway, midway between Santa Clarita and Palmdale is a tucked away, romantic special occasion French restaurant opened in 1980 by Juan Alonso. Located in an incredible stone building constructed as a gas station in 1923 by William Arch Dodrill, it has a castle-like feeling and appearance. With beautiful, leafy grounds and an outdoor seating deck, the restaurant sits adjacent to Sierra Pelona Ridge vineyard, also established by owner Juan Alonso. The restaurant is pricey, serving an extensive French menu and wine from the restaurant’s large underground wine cellars. The interior is simple and airy, with white walls and a lot of blonde wood, including a high wooden ceiling.

(1980) Lisa’s Coffee Shop 1530 W San Bernardino Rd, Covina, CA 91722. Lisa’s Coffee Shop opened in 1980 in a building that was most likely constructed in the early 1960s, with a Googie-style triangular roofline, a repurposed vintage sign and a brick-trimmed exterior. The inside is casual and comfortable, and filled with retro wall clutter, such as license plates and reproductions of vintage metal signs. There are original touches of vintage tile at the breakfast counter, which is fronted with mid-century wood laminate, and also in the attached counter stools, but the restaurant’s 1950s car culture theme is the 1980 re-created version, which is, of course, vintage itself now. Serving American breakfast and lunch, this coffee shop closes at 2pm daily.

(1981) Harry’s Family Restaurant920 N San Fernando Blvd, Burbank, CA 91504. Originally built in 1964 as a Denny’s restaurant, this 24-hour American-style diner became Harry’s in 1981. Designed by the renowned Googie architectural firm Armet & Davis, the building still features much of the original ’60s design, such as river rock walls, counter seating and a distinctive roofline. The turquoise colored booths and pale wood laminate counter were part of the early early ’80s “retro” remodel, but have already become vintage on their own.

(1981) Pioneer Chicken904 S Soto St, Los Angeles, CA 90023. One of the last two remaining franchises of the once extremely popular Los Angeles-created fried chicken chain that began in Echo Park in 1961. At its peak in 1987 there were 270 restaurants. The remaining two locations both have original signs and architecture.

(1981) Joselito’s2345 Honolulu Ave, Montrose, CA 91020. This Montrose location evolved out of a Mexican restaurant opened by Jose and Myrna Grijalva in Burbank in 1977, named after their son, Jose Jr.. The interior is shades of rust and brown booths, with Mexican tiled tables, wall murals and a cozy outside patio. A second location was opened in Tujunga in 2000.

(1982) Don Antonio’s11755 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064. Don Antonio’s Mexican restaurant was opened in 1982 on Pico Blvd in West L.A., by Antonio and Amalia Hernandez, who had previously owned Gilbert’s El Indio (opened 1974) located down the same street in Santa Monica. This dark and cozy restaurant has red leather booths in one room and another “cave room” complete with wall surfaces and a ceiling that resembles stalactites. The exterior has a vintage feel with Mexican tile, river rock and saltillo roof tiles. There is a separate bar area and an outdoor patio with tables in the back. The amazing neon sign of a man in sombrero with mustache, that stood out front fell down in a windstorm in 2017 and was unfortunately not replaced.

(1982) Spires Restaurant104 N Vineyard Ave, Ontario, CA 91764. Spires is a chain of Southern California restaurants, serving coffee shop American food, founded in 1965 by Greek immigrant John Haretakis. The first location, now a Goldenwest Diner, was opened in 1965 on Euclid and Ball Streets in Anaheim. At its peek, there were 30 locations, but today there are only 8 locations left including Carson (1971), Long Beach (1979), Long Beach 2, Torrance (1976), Torrance 2 (1976), Tustin (1978) and Lawndale. All except the Lawndale location feature an octagonal shaped building, original plastic signs, wood paneled walls and vintage red tile on the walls behind the counter. These locations have not been remodeled and are very representative of 1970s restaurant interior decorating with brown or teal vinyl upholstered booths.

(1984) Covina Tasty1063 N Citrus Ave, Covina, CA 91722. Covina Tasty claims to be the very first vegetarian fast food restaurant in America. Built in 1962 as a Tastee Freez franchise, serving soft serve ice cream & fast food, this location was bought by its current owner, Taiwanese immigrant, Mark Tsai in 1984. Tsai didn’t get approval from the Tastee Freez corporation when he removed meat choices from the menu and turned the restaurant vegetarian. After four years, Tastee Freez found out and suspended his franchise name, so he changed the name to Covina Tasty in 1988. Housed in a cool shack with a pointed Googie-esque roof and baby blue & white striped tile exterior, food is ordered and served through walk-up plexiglass pick-up windows. Picnic tables out front allow for outside eating, but a separate enclosed area has a cool ’60s vibe with orange and white vinyl booths and wood paneled walls. The menu consists of vegetarian fast food, including faux meats, and a substantial soft freeze menu as well.

(1984) Jay Bee’s Bar-B-Q15911 S Avalon Blvd, Gardena, CA 90248. Jay Bee’s Bar-B-Q is located on Avalon Blvd in Gardena, CA. It was started in 1984 by BBQ restaurateur Jim Neely, known for his Interstate Bar-B-Q in Memphis and is now owned by his sister Beverly Neely. The restaurant is a little shack in an industrial area with a couple of picnic tables. Food is served through a plexiglass take-out window. The menu consists of Memphis-style barbecued ribs and chicken, a few types of meat sandwiches and a few side dishes.

(1984) Ristorante Genovese214 N Tustin St, Orange, CA 92867. Ristorante Genovese re-opened in 1984 on Tustin Street In Orange, CA, but it has a much longer history. Owned by Al and Margie Genovese, their family opened an earlier restaurant, Genovese Steak House, in Santa Ana, CA in 1947, formally owned by Al’s older brothers, Joseph and Michael. In the 1960s the restaurant moved to its present location in Orange, which had been built in the late 1800s as a farmhouse or barn. Eventually the steakhouse went out of business and the Genovese’s leased out the building to a Thai restaurant. When the Thai place folded, Al and Margie resurrected the family’s restaurant in 1984, serving home-style Italian food including pasta dishes and pizza. The exterior is brick and wood sided with a front patio, but the main outside attraction is a mish mash of signs, statues and lighting that have an eclectic and fun feel. Inside the small restaurant, between tufted red leather booths, a brick fireplace and a small bar are mountains of eccentric decor covering every bit of wall space. It is a collector’s paradise, filled with memorabilia and mementos, arranged in a cluttered way, with care. The restaurant, though being re-established in the ’80s has much more of a 1950s or 1960s aura.

(1984) Simply Wholesome4508 W Slauson Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90043. Since 1984, Simply Wholesome on Slauson Ave in the Inglewood, CA area has offered veggie and vegan preparations of scrumptious down-home soul food delicacies, including vegan collard greens, mac ‘n’ cheese and Jamaican patties, right alongside its traditional meat options. A combination health food market and restaurant, this popular neighborhood spot is located in a cool, space-age Googie building designed in 1958 by the legendary Armet & Davis architectural team, creators of many of L.A.’s best-known midcentury coffee shops. With its sloping roofline, river-rock exterior and a jaunty spire pointing toward the heavens, Simply Wholesome will satisfy your history fix while simultaneously satiating your craving for cornbread, candied yams and black-eyed peas.

(1985) Saddle Peak Lodge419 Cold Canyon Rd, Calabasas, CA 91302. Although the building has a 100+ year history, Saddle Peak Lodge itself opened in 1985. with a complete renovation to give it a rustic atmosphere.

(1989) Clearman’s Northwoods Inn14305 Firestone Blvd, La Mirada, CA 90638.
Technically not vintage, it is a great kitschy replica of its San Gabriel & Covina cousins. A Yukon style dinner experience at a rustic-themed hunting lodge where the roof is bedecked with faux snow and its eaves hung with glistening faux icicles. The interior of this vintage restaurant chain gets even more interesting. Within its darkened cabin-like interior you will find wood beamed ceilings, red leather seating, stained glass as far as the eye can see and life-sized taxidermy bears. The first Clearman’s North Woods Inn was opened by John Clearman in San Gabriel, near the edge of Pasadena, in 1966, followed by another in Covina in 1967. This third location was added in La Mirada in 1989, which can be seen from the north-bound 5 freeway. Bowls of peanuts are placed on each table and signs encourage patrons to festively “Throw Peanut Shells on the Floor”. The menu is standard surf & turf with enormous portions, and this would be a place to come to order a steak as big as your face. A reasonably priced Happy Hour is held in the cool and woodsy bar area, with discounts on both drinks and certain appetizers. Celebrated for their cheese bread and cabbage salad, these may be the only menu items, besides a few other appetizers, that your vegetarian friends will be willing to eat.

(1989) La Louisanne5812 Overhill Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90043. Although this Creole restaurant and live jazz nightclub in Inglewood is newer than my 1984 cut-off date, this one falls into one of the exceptions on this list because of its vintage atmosphere, the building’s history and because it is one of the unique restaurants in this town. Opened in 1989 by Edwin Wheeler, born & raised in New Orleans, La Louisanne’s building was constructed in 1952 and occupied by Poor Richard’s Restaurant and Toy Shop, a special occasion restaurant catering to children and their birthday parties (from age 2 to 92), filled with toys, animated teddy bears and a model train running throughout. By the 1980s the building was a restaurant called 20 Grand which featured a reggae nightclub. Since 1989, La Louisanne has served jambalaya, oysters, file gumbo, crawfish etouffee, red beans & rice and other down south favorites with nightly live jazz music. While the exterior does not exactly show its vintage bones, the interior is dimly lit, and has a mish-mash of ’60s remnants mixed with a gawdy ’80s-’90s remodel.

(1991) The Prince3198 W 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90005. Although The Prince is not technically vintage, its location is. Originally opened in 1927 as an outside garden cafe, it became the elegantly French Windsor in 1949. Dimly lit, with red booths, wood & a horseshoe-shaped bar it now serves Korean.

(1994) George Petrelli Steak House5615 Sepulveda Blvd, Culver City, CA 90230.
Originally opened in 1931 by George Petrelli’s Uncle Joe and located across the street. This steakhouse moved to this location in 1994. The interior is cool vintage with an attached lounge area.

(1996) La Parrilla1300 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90017. Mexican restaurant just west of downtown in the Westlake neighborhood which has an authentic traditional vibe with burgundy leather booths. It is on the “newer” side of this vintage restaurant list, having opened in 1996 as the 2nd restaurant of La Parilla Boyle Heights (1978), but its location echoes with history. The building it is located in is a former home built in 1905 and once owned by Charlie Chaplin. The back part of the building is Storybook-style with curved thatched roof and is one of the oldest remaining buildings on Wilshire, back when it was called Orange Street. This place is worth a visit for good food and tasty pitchers of sangria.

(1997) Russell’s Cafe30 N Fair Oaks Ave, Pasadena, CA 91103. This entry was originally entered on this list as having opened in 1930, and this is a common misconception. Russell’s was a chain that began in 1930 and went out of business. This particular restaurant opened in the ’90s, using the Russell’s name. I am keeping it on the list to communicate the error. American food served at tiny cafe decorated with elaborate chandeliers, classic art work & crown molding.

RECENT CLOSURES (May 2015 to present):

(1918) Golden Spur1223 East Route 66, Glendora, CA 91740. The Golden Spur is a classic mid-century steakhouse on Route 66 that started as a ride-up hamburger stand for patrons on horseback. According to realty records the building was constructed in 1932, but it formally became a steakhouse in 1954. At that time an amazing neon sign of a cowboy boot with spur attached was added out front. The interior features peaked wood beamed ceilings, a brick floored entryway and moss green leather booths. (CLOSED PERMANENTLY October 13, 2018 after 100 years in business.)

(1925) Formosa Cafe7156 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90046.
Opened by a prize fighter in an old red trolley car, it has kept its vintage integrity. (UPDATE July 2015: The original vintage interior has been gutted and subjected to an unfortunate flavorless remodel). (CLOSED PERMANENTLY in December 2016. News as of June 2017 is that Formosa is in the process of being restored to its original glory and will be back sometime soon.)

(1936) Tom Bergin’s Public House 840 S Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036.
Opened for business in 1936 and has the 2nd oldest liquor license (dated 1935) in all of Los Angeles County. This place was originally located at the corner of Wilshire & Fairfax, where LACMA now stands, and was called Tom Bergin’s Old Horseshoe Tavern & Thoroughbred Club. It moved to its present location, a block away, in 1945. Tom was a former WWl Navy pilot and lawyer. He built this place to resemble the Irish pubs of his Boston youth that he sorely missed and he ran it himself until 1972. Inside feels unpretentious and echoes with history, with wood walls, brick floors, thick, multi-colored bottle-glass windows, and a sturdy, wooden horseshoe-shaped bar. The dining room has a triangular peaked Tudor ceiling, a big brick fireplace and more stained glass. The vibe is comfortably vintage and very laid back, except on St. Patrick’s Day, which, as you can imagine, is nuts. The ceiling in the bar is covered with thousands of paper shamrocks, inscribed with the names of favorite patrons, a tradition that started in 1957. Tom Bergin’s closed for 6 months in mid-2013, but thankfully a new owner picked up that old liquor license soon after. On a side note, patrons regularly smell cigarette smoke around the bar stool that was once Tom’s “spot.” An ashtray is kept there for old time’s sake. (CLOSED PERMANENTLY March 2018)

(1940) Ricci’s Italian Restaurant 16601 Bellflower Blvd., Bellflower, CA 90706. Authentic, casual neighborhood Italian-American restaurant with a basic, old school feel and a deli counter in the front room. The last remodel appears to be late ’60s or early ’70s with orange leather booths, touches of wood paneling and textured gold glass booth dividers. (Although this restaurant has not closed & is still in operation, it moved to a new location in 2018 and there is no longer anything vintage about this restaurant, except the name. In good conscious I moved it to the bottom of the list.)

(1951) Crab Cooker2200 Newport Blvd, Newport Beach, CA 92663.The Crab Cooker opened in 1951 on the Balboa peninsula of Newport Beach. Originally located on 28th Street, it moved to its current location on Newport Blvd, a former bank building, in 1961. Serving seafood in a casual environment, it is a popular restaurant, decorated with antiques and nautical knick knacks, including a full-size fiberglass shark hanging from the ceiling. THE CRAB COOKER IS CLOSED TEMPORARILY AND SCHEDULED TO REOPEN JUNE 1, 2019.

(1952) Ming’s Chinese Food17812 Bellflower Blvd, Bellflower, CA 90706. Beautiful, original mid-century Chinese restaurant. The exterior of the building has Asian motifs, original signs, metal screens, a river rock wall in the entrance, and a red Chinese-style door. The outside wall is covered in gorgeous tiles of orange, red, and a graduating red/black color. Inside is like stepping back in time, with bright orange-red leather booths, dark wood laminate tables, wood ceilings and floors, along with Asian decorative touches. (CLOSED PERMANENTLY March 2018)

(1958) Nino’s3853 Atlantic Ave, Long Beach, CA 90807. SAD NEWS: Nino’s Italian Restaurant opened in Long Beach in 1958 and is set to close on August 12, 2016. Their original owners, Vincenzo “Nino” Cristiano passed away in 2014 and his wife, Inge, and his adult children, are retiring. They emigrated from Italy in 1957 and opened this restaurant the next year. Inside is old school with checked tablecloths, a huge river rock fireplace, mint green leather booths and a trellised ceiling. (CLOSED PERMANENTLY August 2016)

(1961) Ports ‘O Call Restaurant 1200 Nagoya Way, San Pedro, CA 90731. Opened as a waterfront Polynesian restaurant and originally surrounded by a man-made moat, the menu changed to steak and seafood in 1985 and has been remodeled. (CLOSED PERMANENTLY July 17, 2018. The restaurant was evicted and locked out by county sheriffs so construction can begin on a new, touristy & modern waterfront attraction, The San Pedro Public Market.)

(1971) Benihana38 N La Cienega Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211. Japanese hibachi chain in an early ’70s Pagoda-style building in which a chef theatrically prepares food tableside. This was one of the first 6 restaurants in a chain of now over 100. (CLOSED PERMANENTLY December 2015)

(1972) The Oyster House12446 Moorpark St, Studio City, CA 91604. The Oyster House restaurant opened in 1972 on Moorpark Ave in Studio City. Specializing in oysters on the half shell, oyster shooters, fish & chips and other seafood, the environment is casual, more like a dive bar. The front exterior wall is trimmed with vintage river rock, it boasts an original plastic sign, and the front door is painted with a ship’s porthole. The interior is straight out of the early ’70s with wood paneled walls, drop ceilings, a long bar with black leather bucket seats and high tables for eating. The venue also features live music. (CLOSED as a restaurant PERMANENTLY July 2018 and remains open as a bar)

(1973) Belly Buster Sandwich Shoppe1142 W Valley Blvd, Alhambra, CA 91803. Opened on Valley Blvd in Alhambra in 1973 and is a much beloved neighborhood staple. The new owner painted “since 1967” on the wall but my records show 1973. Serving hot & cold submarine sandwiches from a take-out window of a little shack that was originally built in 1932, there are picnic tables for eating under a covered patio. The original owners, Corky & Don, now own the original The Hat pastrami shop (est 1951) located down Valley Blvd at the corner of Garfield. (CLOSED PERMANENTLY July 2018)

(1977) Giamela’s Lamplighter9110 De Soto Ave, Chatsworth, CA 91311. Late ’70s diner-style restaurant with attached lounge. This location merged with Giamela’s subs in the early ’90s. (CLOSED PERMANENTLY January 2018)

(1982) Corrigan’s Steakhouse556 E Thousand Oaks, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360. Corrigan’s is an eclectic old west-themed steakhouse opened by Tom Corrigan in 1982 in Thousand Oaks, CA. Tom is the son of legendary cowboy actor and stuntman, Ray “Crash” Corrigan, who created the 1950s Western theme park “Corriganville” in Simi Valley out a working movie ranch. Corriganville opened in 1949 and was one of the first theme parks in the country, full of old Western sets that had been used in over 3,000 films. It was a major tourist destination, attracting as many as 20,000 people a day. Bob Hope bought the ranch from Crash Corrigan in 1966 and renamed it “Hopetown.” The area is now a park and nature preserve. Corrigan’s Steakhouae was built as a tribute to both Crash and Corriganville and features an incredible amount of Old West memorabilia including autographed pictures of western stars, movie costumes, a stage coach hanging from the ceiling, taxidermy, framed movie posters, and an interesting collection of mementos everywhere the eye can see. Housed in a low, corner building with brick trim and wagon wheels on the front, there is no obvious external clue to the coolness inside. The restaurant is large, with a large wrap around wooden bar taking up the center and booths and tables in different sections. The ceiling is wood beamed and pitched high, with a large brick fireplace and several exposed brick walls. (Temporarily Closed until February 2019 after March 2018 death of owner Tom Corrigan. New owners are intending to remodel the building, but keep the theme.)

(1985) Hop LouieOld Chinatown, 950 Mei Ling Way, Los Angeles, CA 90012. American-Chinese food. Originally opened as the Golden Pagoda in 1941, its building is a 5-tiered pagoda. It became Hop Louie in 1985 and still retains the original architecture and much of the old school decor. (CLOSED PERMANENTLY August 2016)

(1993) Gary Bric’s Ramp7730 N Hollywood Way, Burbank, CA 91505. Old school, dimly lit restaurant with an authentic vintage atmosphere and interior. Originally opened in 1962, it changed names and owners a few times before becoming the Ramp again in 1993. Sandwiched between ramps for the overhead 5 Freeway, this place is an incredible hidden gem. Serving steakhouse fare, with attached cocktail lounge. (CLOSED PERMANENTLY November 30, 2018)

All photos by Nikki Kreuzer

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About Nikki Kreuzer

Nikki Kreuzer has been a Los Angeles resident for almost 30 years. When not working her day job in the film & TV industry, she spends her time over many obsessions, mainly music, art and exploring & photographing the oddities of the city she adores. So far she has written over 100 Offbeat L.A. articles which are published at the Los Angeles Beat and on the website OffbeatLA.com. As a writer she has also been published in the LA Weekly, Oddee.com, Blurred Culture, Twist Magazine, Strobe and Not For Hire. Nikki is also a mosaic artist, working actor and published photographer. Her photography has been featured in the print version of LA Weekly and as part of an exhibit at the Museum of Neon Art. In the band Nikki & Candy, she plays bass, sings and is co-writer. Find Nikki & Candy music on iTunes, Amazon or at NikkiandCandy.com. Nikki is currently working on her first novel. Please "like" the Offbeat L.A. Facebook page! For more Offbeat L.A. photos & adventures follow @Lunabeat on Instagram or @Offbeat_LA on Twitter.

Hi Nikki, Great list but you forgot one important restaurant to me, as a kid growing up in Northridge I always ate at the restaurant called My Hero which opened in 1964 and whenever I visit my old town I have to eat at My Hero. They have the same sandwiches as I remember as a kid and to this day I have not eaten a better sub sandwich. Its a place you go in and sit down so it is considered a restaurant. They have a very good Yelp rating and here it is. http://www.yelp.com/biz/my-hero-submarine-sandwich-shoppe-northridge
Please include My Hero if possible because it is part of Northridge’s history and it is 50 years old. Thanks…

I lived rite next door on the other side of the alley from ’66- ’78 when they tore down my house and built 3 story condos. My autographs(’72) is still engraved in the concrete there I always ate there and still do when I’m in the area. They used to have hot dogs there in ’66 back when Howard owned the place.

Cantalini’s Salerno Beach has been on Culver Blvd, Playa Del Rey, since the 1960’s. Their history is on their website. It’s right across from the beach at the end of Culver Blvd and is the BEST Italian food I’ve ever eaten! They have live music on a Sunday, 3 musicians with a stand up bass and violin playing songs from old movies – great stuff!

There’s something wrong with the entry for the Original Pantry Cafe, but I can’t find corroboration for it. You, and the Wikipedia entry, and even the cafe’s own website all say it moved one block in 1950. I never ate at the Pantry until the mid-70’s, but I remember the move, and that they stayed open during the move. I stood in line waiting to get in both at the new location and at the old. So what’s happening? Is there a collective memory loss? Was I in the Twilight Zone?

My father took me to the Original Cafe that was down the block in several buildings that connected up the lot. That was in the 1940’s after a USC football game. Then went often while in dental school and family when son at SC

In 1946, when I was eight years old, I joined the St. Paul’s Cathedral choir. St.Paul’s was located at 615 S. Figueroa St., between Sixth and Wilshire. On Thursdays the boys would rehearse until about 6:00 and then go around the corner and up Wilshire half a block to The Pantry (on the south side of the street) for dinner, before the arrival of the tenors and bases, and then rehearse with them until about 9:00 pm. The food was very good, but some of the older boys got out of control and trashed the place, putting salt in the sugar dispensers and whatever other bad things they could think of, so we were invited never to come again. From then on we had to bring our own sack lunches.

Back around the same time my dad was going to USC and took private singing lessons on Thursdays after which he would go to The Pantry for a steak dinner. Later during the 70’s my girlfriend and I would go there on Saturdays and then hit Broadway for some shopping. On one trip a big cockroach crawled out of my salad and that was the end of our trips to The Pantry. They had a big problem with the health inspectors soon after and had to close down for a week or so for major vermin infestation.

No sign of a couple of the restaurants I grew up with: Bun ‘N Burger at 1000 E. Main St., Alhambra (open since 1941) and Colonial Kitchen, 1100 Huntington Dr., San Marino (open since at least the mid-1940s; my mother went on her first date there in 1946).

I added Bun .N Burger (1941). I have been trying so hard to get a date on Colonial Kitchen. They have definitely been in business since the ’30s or ’40s. I even spoke with the owner today & he had no idea and was guessing.

I can verify that Colonial Kitchen was open in 1941… My dad was a photographer here from 1938 until 1981 (except for duty in WW2). He took me there in 1975 or so and commented that he had eaten there the day before he enlisted in 1941
.

Holiday Burger in Mission Hills on Devonshire. I cannot provide dates as I live in Dallas now, but it was my wife’s last meal before my eldest son was born on Christmas Eve 1969. (Fried shrimp, if it matters,)

Much of what has happened with restaurant (and other business) signs is due to far more restrictive local laws. This goes back to the LBJ administration, when Lady Bird headed a highway beautification campaign that also included emphasis on reducing litter.

Actually, Glen Bell didn’t use the recipe. Glen, along with two other men, devised the idea for Mexican fast food in the parking lot of the original McDonalds in San Bernardino. That idea spawned Del Taco, Taco Bell and Taco Tia. They got the idea of hardshell taco’s because they were invented at Mitlas! And now you know the rest of the story!

What a fantastic labor of love, thank you! And to weigh in on the Cole’s/Philippe debate, my great-grandmother Bertie Mae favored Philippe. Both places already had sandwiches, and neither “invented” the French dip, which is similar to older sandwiches in New Orleans and Chicago. Philippe Mathieu had a place in the middle of Frenchtown next to the Santa Fe station, and Cole’s was under one of the busiest places in LA, the Pacific Electric station, so both had a lot of traffic. Bertie Mae moved here in 1921, when many places now long gone had a “French dip” (which she compared to a debris po’boy), and they attributed it to Frenchtown. Philippe was one of two places that had the money to move when the 101 ran through Frenchtown (the other was Taix, which started as a bakery there, and also makes a French dip)

Wow I loved this have been to about 10 or 12 over a lot of years. I remember going to Chris and Pits, Cliftons cafeteria and getting to dip into the treasure chest for a goodie, the Pantry and l listening to my Dads stories about eating the durning the war. In the 60’s going to Tommy’s one time the building was all smashed up from a truck knocking it off the corner and there they were setup with a big portable grill cooking hamburger with chili damn good. Then mom and dad taking use out to the Tam o shatter or Lawyres ( prime rib ) and DuPars. Then living in L A and going to Pinks and Carneys. I was raised in New Port Beach went to the Crab Cooker, and latter Woodys.. And living in Dana Point in 60’s and going to the El Patio ( Lucy’s ) there others on the list too
I just want to thank you for this list reading it was a labor of love

Mijare’s started as a tortilla-making business out of a family home in 1920. In the 1940s they opened the location on Palmetto Drive. They were originally a delicatessen & tortilla business, but added a few tables and then built on additional rooms for the restaurant. During the late ’70s this building was destroyed by fire and a new restaurant was built in its location in 1984. The Washington Blvd location in Pasadena was also built in 1984.

I would add this restaurant if I could find out the year in the 1940s that the restaurant opened.

Great list. Did not expect it to be so long. One place I didn’t see is The Talpa on 11751 W. Pico Blvd, 90064. It’s right next to Don Antonio’s. It’s been there since 1964. My parents ate their when they were dating in ’66. Great waitresses serving old school Mexican food. Check it out.

Thanks so much for all of your help! A list like this is not just a one-person or one-blog project. Nikki is busily sorting through all of your suggestions, as well as her own additions. This post will always be a work in progress.

thanks this was great… my favorite not there anymore were.. panzas italian resturant at fountain and labrea in hollywood alot stars went there,, sneeky petes in hollywood and montys in pasadena did you mention the sportsman lodge in studio city,,,??

The Sportsmen’s Lodge Events Center will still be open until sometime in 2018. Myhighs hool graduating class has held two reunions there and has booked a third for the last week in April (2017). It is a great place for reunions the hotel recently was completely remodeled about three years ago ina very modern style. Motto my liking, but the rooms are very nice the large pool and surrounding area has lush landscaping. I wish there were a way to save the Events Center. It’s really an icon of times long ago and has very good food.

As a native Angelino I’ve had the great pleasure of dining at many of these establishments.
Phillipe’s and Cole’s especially. I didn’t see Clifton’s Cafeteria or the Original King Taco. The Original Pantry Cafê is my favorite spot for breakfast till this day. If a Restaurant has lasted all these years it’s for good reason so I recommend each and everyone of these places regardless of what Social Media may comment. After all we’ve been through A few Wars several recessions and even the Great Depression yet a lot of these survived through it all. I’m feeling hungry. A Tommy’s burger from The Original Tommy’s on Rampart sounds good right now! 🙂

Great list! Is Bobby’s still there on Ventura Blvd.? We used to go there for steak and eggs for breakfast. I live in Oregon now and miss all our old hangouts. Was so happy to see the Munch Box in Chatsworth is still there!

The Taix Family are the third and fourth generations of a family of sheepherders and bakers from the “Hautes-Alpes” in southeastern France who immigrated to Los Angeles around 1870.

In 1912 Marius Taix Sr. built a hotel called the Champ d’Or in downtown Los Angeles’ French quarter. In 1927, Marius Taix Jr. opened Taix French restaurant within the hotel serving chicken dinners for 50 cents at long “family-style” tables. Diners could choose private booth service for an extra quarter. Taix’s novel food, unique service and affordable prices make it a Los Angeles institution.

The present location opened in 1962 and continues to be a family affair. Family style service has given way to private booths, but Taix French restaurant remains faithful to the famed tureen of soup, fresh french bread, and abundant portions of French country cuisine at affordable prices. The restaurant dynasty is carried on by Marius’ son, Raymond Taix, who has made sure that the character of the restaurant has remained unchanged, and his son Michael, whose passion for wines has resulted in an extensive, award winning wine list.

Taix Restaurant is proud of its vintage staff; many can boast of serving more than three generations. We look forward to serving you and your family for many generations to come.

A private note for ET: Thanks for a great list . . . If you ever have time to create a parallel one celebrating the locations of the great classics that are no longer with us, save a space for Man Fook Low, one of the original dim sum restaurants. Located on San Pedro in downtown L.A., it was a favorite of the old-time Hollywood crowd, especially Mae West and her friends.

Nikki … I guess the ultimate benefit of a list like this is that readers will note restaurants not listed, which will make the next list even better. Having said that, I think this list is extraordinary. I was in the newspaper business for 45 years and found that “lists” were either great, or horrible, little in between. I found this list to be absolutely exceptional. Anyone reading it will see places they’ve been or places they want to go (lot of the latter). Really well done. I’m sharing this on Facebook because it is a list I don’t want to lose.

Look into Cupid’s Hot Dogs. Original place in Van Nuys from the ’40’s! The best chili dogs I have ever had and I have lived on both west and east coasts! Originally from the Valley, but now am in MA and miss these dogs!!

This list really brought back memories. The first time I ever had pizza was at Miceli’s in the mid 50’s. I was in my teens. That really dates me. Now I eat pizza every week or so. By the way it was a couple of years after that I had a burrito. Mexican food is also a staple in my diet.

That is a great one, but unfortunately it closed down. One of my goals in doing this list is to bring attention to some of these restaurants to hopefully prevent closures & to encourage owners to keep remodeling to a minimum.

Working in the entertainment industry for 40 years, I’m suprised by the amount of places on your list that I have been to. Some of my faves, Titos Tacos. langers Deli, Coles, to name a few. It’s a great list so you must keep up the good work!

Add in Long Beach, Joe Jost pre-1920 vintage wood and stainless tavern/pool hall on Anaheim St – beer and bar food; The Prospector – decor and menu from 60’s or earlier, a funky Old West booth-and-bar joint plus a small stage with rock shows several time a week, 7th St. and Junipero (Wana Pero in Long Beachese); Domenico’s – late 50’s booth-and-wine bottle decor, Italian-American family and college kid favorite, 2nd St. in Belmont Shore; Chee’s, the first Chinese restaurant in Long Beach started in 1930’s, I’ve heard, this second location is low key mid-century style, on Willow Ave. east of 710.

GOD I CAN’T BELIVE THE BUGGY WHIP CLOSED..GOT A GREAT STORY ABOUT THE BARTENDER..MY DAD WAS A REGULAR AND DRANK SILVER TEQUILA WITH A SPASH OF SODA ONE NIGHT HE COMES IN THE BARTENDER RELIZES HE IS OUT OF THE TEQUILA …SENDS A BUSBOY TO THE LIQIUOR STORE DOWN THE STREET TO GET SOME..THATS SERVICE…ALSO WENT THERE ONCE FOR A FAMILY B-DAY AND FOUND OUT THAT THE WAITRESS HAD SERVED PRESIDENT EISENHOWER WHEN HE WAS THERE…

An interesting story about Gulliver’s in Irvine… The area has changed since, but there were a number of electronic design houses in the area. .Gullivers catered to the lunch crowd to the point that they printed the back side of their paper place mats with graph paper ruling.
Over the two years I worked at one of the design houses I personally know of at least four new circuit designs, a half dozen new sheet metal designs, and at least six Product Change Notices and Engineering Change Orders that were started on the back of a Gullivers place mat.

Mickey Fine Pharmacy & Grill in Beverly Hills is the only pharmacy with soda fountain in Los Angeles County. It was built in the mid 50’s as one of the Famous Schawb’s Pharmacies. Mickey Fine purchased it in 1962. The counter seats 20 people and the diner area seats another 40. It was written up in this weeks Beverly Hills Courier.

Does the Big Boy on Firestone in Downey get a mention? Maybe it’s controversial because it was rebuilt. But I think it’s a victory, bitter sweet maybe for the lovers of classic LA. It was Harvey’s Broiler or something, changed hands a bunch, some crew went in and illegally demo’d most of it? But courts ruled they’d have to put the place back together I think. It’s so beautiful and authentic looking, even if it is new. Movies I can think filmed there : Jawbreaker & Cant Hardly Wait, and an episode of Mad Men. Honorable mention? Damn the wrecking ball!

Cupids is in my opinion the best hot dogs around. I grew up in Van Nuys and would eat at the Van Nuys location in the early to mid 60s. then I went to Pierce and would stop at the Vanowen location from about 66-68. Then while at SFVSC(CSUN) would frequent the Northridge location.
Recently while visiting my daughter and grand kids in Simi I have visited that store. They are still great, but don’t seem as big as they used to.
I worked at Beeps for 6 years while in high school and college. I don’t know if it’s still on the menu, but we had a burger called the Mexican Morgan that was named after the actor Morgan Woodward who would stop on his way to Van Nuys Airport.

Matt & Tony’s on victory. The last time I was their mid 70’s it was still great. One at the north end of the valley is still open but hours are short. Cupids first local shop was on lank shim . The victory store was closed and rebuilt but it was closed back in December . Sure could go for either one right now but live in Reno or a tommy’s. Have a good day in so/ho….

Taco Treat at 74 E. Live Oak in Arcadia has been there since at least 1960, and it looked old then! There used to be a Foster’s Freeze on the opposite corner. That was the fast food corner in those days.

I can’t believe you left out Ming’s Chinese Restaurant in Bellflower. No info when it opened but I ate there many times in the late 50’s early 60’s. My wife and I ate there several years ago and the man that served us was the same man that waited on my family when I was a teenager. He and I had a short conver and he said he’d been working there for 50 yrs. Pretty impressive.

Chef’s Coffee Shop at 13 E. Live Oak in Arcadia has also been there since around 1960. My parents would take me there when I was a child and now I still eat breakfast there whenever I’m in Arcadia. The inside and out still look the same except they have changed the light fixtures.

1956. Moved a couple blocks down when their building was razed, early 70’s. Best Subs in the world. Grew up on them, but now live in OC. Always stop at Santoro’s when I am going up the 5 thru Burbank. 1423 W. Burbank Blvd. 91506. 818 848-8888. http://www.santorossubs.com.

I lived all over L.A. in my early 20s — left in 1993 — just love this list. So many, many happy memories.

Tangential question — I have been trying to remember the name of another restaurant since — one on the S side of Sunset, I think, near the guitar district, that was in a former Zane Grey house, I think? Many outside decks edging up the hill toward Sunset. I used to go for brunch, and they had a delicious citrus splash sort of cocktail. Can anyone help me remember the name of this place? I’d be so grateful!

Great list brought back so many memories of food and good times. A place that has been around for over 40 years is Yuccas on Hillhurst in Hollywood. Tiny little place but the best tacos and burritos. Thanks again for putting this list together.

Fun to review… could take hours to “digest” all the entries!! I don’t think I saw
Ernie Jr’s Mexican Restaurant that was on Colorado Blvd., in either Eagle Rock or
Glendale in the ’50’s and on… It was a fav place for date dinner and with a bunch of
guys from Highland Park… I know it’s now located in SE Glendale… was there
within the last ten years… We also, find The Castaways at Burbank when in L.A…. a
great location…

The Original Ernie’s was 1944 in Lincoln Heights. 2nd was Eagle Rock 1950 on Colorado Blvd, Eagle Rock. 3rd was North Hollywood in 1952. Mom and Dad divorce in 1955 and mom kept Eagle Rock and opened Ernie JR’s in Pasadena in 1955. Ernie Jr’s in Eagle Rock relocated to 2803 Broadway, Eagle Rock when the 2 Freeway took the Colorado Location. Pasadena closed in 1998 because the buildings were subject to retrofitting. Family still own the properties. Eagle Rock closed April 19, 2014. It was time.

How about Dinah’s, 65xx Sepulveda Blvd., Culver City. My husband and I ate there numerous times. He LOVED the creamed spinach, and I ate potato pancakes almost every time. Thanks so much for the list. We left CA in 1990, and this list brought back many fond memories. We’ve been talking about different places on the list for over an hour!!

Fantastic list!! I was surprised I had eaten at so many of them, but my time in Los Angeles was between 1960-2014 … so, not surprising, after all !! Now I’m in Vegas and they are tearing down all the old casinos and places around the Strip to make way for BIGGER but not necessarily better … loved the old places and food more !!!

I love this list. Thanks for creating it. I’ve been to several of the restaurants listed and am familiar with many more. I may be having a senior moment here but, I don’t recall seeing Bob’s Big Boy on Riverside Dr. in Burbank. It’s been there since the 50’s. I used to go to the Bob’s in Pasadena in the early 60’s before it was torn down.

Outstanding list that brought back many memories of my growing up in Metro L A. in the 40’s-60’s. So many classic “after the dance” and “Special family dinner” places from the 50’s and 60’s are gone. CHALON’s on Manchester near Western, where I learned why more than two spoons and forks were in a setting. The VELVET TURTLE saw us for Mothers Day every Year. HELEN GRACES Ice Cream in the So Bay Center was a real treat before Baskin-Robbins appeared. The Twofer coupons for VICTORIA STATION on Hawthorne near PCH made a date night affordable. It is good to see so many places that have survived the seven decades since I arrived in SoCal.(1944) Thanks again for sharing your efforts.

Pepy’s Galley…the restaurant attached to the Mar Vista Bowling Alley on Venice Blvd. This place was once a Tiki themed place, so I’m guessing it’s been there since long before the 1970’s. Best patty melt in LA for my money…and the ambiance is stellar.

The ORIGINAL original In-N-Out was displaced for the San Bernardino Freeway, two lanes in either direction before freeways were numbered. Then the little drive-thru with a few outside tables. Now the giant one adjacent to In-N-Out University and the Company Store.

I haven’t lived in L.A. since 1993 and can’t remember — is the Shack the place that is/was crammed full of Christmas decorations, etc.? I have a vague memory but now can’t place it! If not, do you remember such a place?

The Pig N’ Whistle, which opened in 1927 was the first of a chain of restaurants which stretched up & down the West coast. Most of the restaurants began disappearing after WWII. The Pig ‘N Whistle on Hollywood Blvd was closed in 1952. It was gutted & much of its original seating & fixtures were rescued from the trash pile by Miceli’s…

During the years many other restaurants opened in this location until 2001 when a restauranteur decided to open a BRAND NEW Pig “n Whistle, with the same name of the long defunct restaurant. He basically recreated the entire restaurant from old photos. It has been renovated since 2001 as well. So Pig ‘N Whistle is not a vintage restaurant.

Just had lunch today at the French Market Place in West Hollywood. It is the fifth “Farewell” lunch we’ve had at the place — they keep extending the closing date! Everything there is so good, but today I had to have a couple of items that are unmatchable elsewhere: turkey vegetable soup and eggs benedict. This soup is exceptional, one of my favorite dishes (heck, there are dozens of my favorite dishes on their menu) but this home-cooked soup is crammed with fresh vegetables and big chunks of turkey, all packed into the most flavorful broth… just wonderful, Since I never know for sure if they’ll be around for a return visit, it’s always a serious matter to select the main course, but their Eggs Benedict is a real taste treat and it was today’s winner for entree.

Over the last 30 years, I’ve taken several generations of visiting family there as well as co-workers and friends and there was never anything but praise from all of them. By the way, they now tell us that they will be closing the end of June. It’s a loss.

Nikki – love your hard work on the list. What a great resource for all of us. On Cha Cha Cha – the one on Virgil was there in the mid 1980’s because my dad was the head of KCET and we went there a lot! The branch on Ventura in Sherman Oaks opened in the 90s I think.

The list is great. Reading both the list and other people’s remembrances help me bring my early life back into focus. Jumping onto a bus and gong to another neighborhood to have a meal that was from a different culture made one appreciate the city and the opportunities that came with it.

I know the food is totally different, but the old wooden walled booth areas and the name still remain on the Far East Cafe on 1st Street in Little Tokyo. It was there before the war. A stop there for the Japanese families was required — the pork hash, the neon red sweet and sour pork, and the chicken chop suey with the pan fried noodles. I was happy to see the place open after years of waiting for the earthquake renovations, but devastated to see a total change in the cuisine. The location and the decor are the same, but the restaurant is totally changed, so I do not know if should be included.

Lupe’s Mexican Restaurant in Thousand Oaks. 3 generations of my family have been driving out there for fantastic food for decades!! And soon we will introduce a 4th generation to it. They opened in 1947. It is within an hours drive of downtown LA. It definitely meets the criteria for the list. And it’s affordable and the staff are nice!! It is a very family friendly place!!

Eaton’s on Colorado Blvd. at Michillinda in Arcadia was a classy hangout for the folks attending the Santa Anita Race Track. It also had a hotel/motel on the premises and when Virginia and I were married in 1959, we fooled everybody by staying so close to my parents house on Foothill Blvd ion Arcadia rather than starting our honeymoon trip to Carmel. We went there many times for lunch after church on Sundays.

In 1937 when I was four years of age my father, a trucker, took me to Philippe’s, when Philippe’s was on Aliso Street (South end of Union Station), for a French Dip Sandwich. Today, a Philippe French Dip sandwich, a Philippe Macaroni salad and a cold bottle of beer remains a favorite..And, the old Saugus Cafe I remember well.

I remember when Le Petit Chateau opened; I went there many times. I believe it opened around
1958 not 1965 because I lived in that area before I was married. It was the first time I tasted snails – a specialty of theirs.

I believe Moonshadows in Malibu used to be Don The Beachcomber. I remember stopping there in the 80’s one afternoon and seeing Jan Michael-VIncent plastered at the bar!

Also DeVita’s on Wilshire in West LA near Barrington used to be a great place to get a pizza that tasted close to NY. Little hole-in-the-wall neighborhood place. Haven’t been there in years but I think it’s still there.

Your list is amazing and your provenance rules are perfect. In the rare event you do not have it, here is an archival copy of the great former L.A. Time Machines site which might be helpful in your noble efforts:

Here are a few that you might want to add: Gilbert’s El Indio Mexican Restaurant, 2526 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica 90405 (been there since sometime in the late ’70’s, I think); Papa Cristos Greek Restaurant and Deli, 2771 W. Pico Blvd., L.A. 90006 (1948); Fromin’s Deli, 1832 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica 90403 (late ’70’s or early 80’s, I think); Maxwell’s Cafe, 13329 W. Washington Blvd., L.A. 90066 (not sure when it opened but it’s been there since before 1991, I’m sure); Cora’s, 1802 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, 90405 (again, not sure how long it’s been there, and it has been taken over a couple of times, I think, but it’s been there a long time).

-Yorkshire Grill in Downtown (not sure what year but I am sure older than 1979)

-Mexi-Casa in Anaheim on Lincoln Ave. Open since 1965 I believe, classic Mexican-American place, used to be on Manchester and Lincoln before they expanded the 5 freeway, now on Lincoln just past Euclid.

An amazing list! Thank you for compiling this and for linking to my blog post on Barone’s. I was out of town last week and away from my computer so I just poured over this. I had a similar list for the area sorted by year but it was very short compared with yours! Just tripled my list!

I may have some more – I need to look at my yelp bookmarks. Sorry if these have already been mentioned (I didn’t read all the comments).

This is such a great resource for folks like us who appreciate vintage and classic restaurants. Since the L.A. Time Machines web site went down there was nothing comparable until now (and your list is more extensive for the LA area than that web site was).

A second the request for adding Matt & Tony’s in Mission Hills. The original location was on Burbank Blvd near Fulton Ave across the street from L.A. Valley College (shared with Baskin-Robbins and is now Sharkey’s). Started in the late 60s or early 70s,c I believe.

Sad my grandpa closed his restaurant or he could have made this list too. JoAnns family Italian opened in 1947 in gardena on redondo beach Blvd. I’m sure some of you have been. Great new York style pizza place. “Good food from Nina, bad attitude from Ernie.”

I feel fortunate to have been to 125 of the classics on this list, and at least 15-20 of those recommended for a spot in this treasure trove of iconic L.A.-area eateries. Found most of these gems in the last 5 years, so if you haven’t gotten out to one of these living legends…do it! Thank you, Nikki, from the bottom of my restaurant-loving heart!

Glad to know I still have time to get some French Onion soup at The French Quarter! As for Millies, that grill and counter make The Apple Pan look modern and new. If you haven’t been personally, definitely go in and have a seat at the counter. Old school’s old school. Myself, I’m partial to their Huevos Rancheros.

Capri Deli in Covina. Opened in 1954. I used to go there with my dad when I was a kid. It’s where he would buy the large boxes of macaroni. Mr. DiMaggio would let me collect all the change that had missed the cash register and fallen onto the floor under the counter. They have the best Italian sandwiches around. http://www.capridelicovina.com

3. “Sutter’s Mill” on Sepulveda and San Fernando Blvds, Mission Hills CA. They first moved out to Acton, CA during the late 80’s. Then (late 2000’s) they re-started (much like the antique filled Mission Hills old place) in Simi valley CA. Great steaks.

There is another Chinese restaurant in Montebello called Chinese Garden that opened in 1962. Though it changed owners about a year or so ago and had a bit of remodeling the booths are still the same and the menu has stayed pretty much the same. It opened right around the time my family moved to So. Cal and they started going there right about the time it opened. I was born in ’63 and I used to joke with the staff that I started going there when I was in the womb.
Also, someone mentioned Arry’s in Montebello. I don’t know what year that opened but there is also Golden Ox down the street from them. If I’ve got it right, Perry, who owns Arry’s now once owned the Golden Ox. They’ve both been open since the 70s or even late 60s maybe?. You can call and ask Perry. He’ll tell you lots of history!

Website says first in and out established in 1948 in Baldwin Park. 2015- “On January 7th, In-N-Out celebrates the addition of its 300th restaurant and its second location in Anaheim, California. Our family of restaurants serves quality burgers, fries, and shakes across five states: CA, NV, AZ, UT, and TX.”

Nikki what about Rick’s on 6th and Main in Alhambra, Ca I worked there in 1973 had to be open since 60s then moved to 2nd and Main same city.
Original owner has business in Whittier Ca on Greenleaf and Mar Vista also called Rick’s. Really enjoyed reading this article obvious much hard work put into it. Thanks! For sharing such great history.

Same fate as the old Rickey’s Restaurant on Valley Blvd, which later sprouted a second story and became Rickey’s Skyroom. Great old steakhouse, all used brick and red leatherette booths and stained glass windows. A loss to the community when they closed.

I went to dinner at Raul’s Mexican restaurant 13908 Inglewood Ave in Hawthorne open
since 1972. A few blocks north on the same street is Mandy’s Coffee Shop which looks
very old school, I will have to try it out and find out what year it opened.

Tal’s on Florence Ave in Los Angeles since 1941
Top’s Jr on Main Street in Alhambra since 1952
Ciro’s in Boyle Heights since 1972
Los Tres Cochinitos in Lincoln Heights LA since 1978
Lucy’s Drive In at 1300 W Washington near USC 35 years+ ?
Sorrento Italian Market in Culver City since 1963
El Abejero in Culver City since 1969

Outside of LA county we have
Golden Chicken Inn Oxnard since 1929
Alfredo’s Italian San Bernardino since 1979
DJ’s Coffee San Bernardino since 1965
The Mug San Bernardino since 1949

Do you have any info about Hoppe’s Old Heidelberg in the valley (date opened & closed)? Also the original Bob’s Big Boy in Glendale dates? Ed Sierra’s Mexican Restaurant in San Fernando and Canoga Park dates?

How Great! I’m astounded at how many of these places I’ve been to. And the fantastic comments from folks show how many memories of LA are tied to our stomachs. May I suggest adding; La Abeja, 3700 N.. Figueroa, Highland Park (1968 or 69), family owned, have known 3 generations, very reasonable $, killer huevos rancheros; El Torreo 21 S. Fair Oaks, Pasadena (1960’s), one of the few places still existing in “Old Pasadena” Chile Verde Burrito al a carte smothered in their salsa verde; Their sister restaurant La Cita on San Fernando Rd, Glendale (don’t know date); and Martha’s Kitchen, 507 E 4th Street, downtown LA (1960’s) breakfast and lunch; Fisherman’s Outlet on Central between 5th & 6th, (late 60’s early 70’s). All places I love and endorse.

I may have missed it, but what about Wonder Burgers at 2584 E. Foothill Blvd in Pasadena? Been going there since the late 1960’s, despite the unfortunate remodeling. And Pie and Burger, on California in Pasadena since 1963 http://pienburger.com/history/

Is this the three story Clifton’s Cafeteria, downtown L.A.that had a waterfall? My MOM use to take me there if I was good while she went shopping at I think, The Broadway? In the 50’s. I use to hide under the circular clothes racks. That’s where I guess I got my leg fetish!

Well, I was disappointed to see that my dad’s place, The Mermaid, in Hermosa Beach, wasn’t on your list. My dad, Quentin “Boots” Thelen, owned it from 1954 until he passed in 2007. The family ran it until 2113, when it was sold. However, the building is still there and operating under the same name. Can’t vouch for it today, but it’s been a South Bay institution for over 60 years!

My wife grew up in Bellflower in the 50’s & 60’s and her mom worked at a diner called Bertha’s Grill, it had a u- shaped counter that she would sit and do her homework at and was suppose to have the best pies. Looking for any old photos for my wife’s 60th birthday party September 1st…any old menus or matchbooks…etc. I’ve been looking all over the Internet and can’t find any mention of it…maybe it’s Bertha’s Diner or something like that. Thanks

I ate at Bertha’s when I was a kid in the 50’s. My single parent mom, who worked nights, sometimes gave me a dollar and I could get a full meal there. It was on the south-east corner of Compton Blvd. (now Somerset) and Clark Ave. I still drive by the building which is now ‘The Sewing Basket’, the old ‘Bertha’s’ has been divided into two business’. The other business is a medical supply store. I think ‘The Sewing Basket’ was named ‘Bartha’s’ for a quite a few years before it was changed to it’s present name. You can Google it if you like, to see how it has changed. The mission facade has altered the overall appearance too.

Amazing list! Thank you for compiling it- I’ve have the pleasure of visiting 67 of them! Not sure if it’s already on the list (I may have missed it) but one really fine dining establishment is Alexi’s Greek (1972) in Northridge. I just took my better half there and the food is as amazing as the first time we tried it! http://www.alexisgreek.com/

There was another “Pig’N’Whistle” on 6th street, downtown, I think between Broadway and Hill. As kids we used to go in and take a couple of the children’s menus, which were shaped like pig masks. I was about ten years old, but I dreamed that someday I would be rich enough that I could walk in, sit down, and order anything on the menu. Still working on that.:)

Can’t believe just how many on this list I’ve either been to or know if. I’ve lived in Glendora for 18 years but never been to The Golden Spur! Going to have to try it now. I grew up in So Pas & most of the locations in the SGV. I worked at Paty’s in Toluca Lake back in the 80’s. Loved that place! Thanks for the memories !!!

you missed Twoheys in Alhambra, home of the Stinko been there since 1947…….great as a carhop restaurant I went to in high school in the 60s until they rebuilt back in the 80s I believe……..best sundaes ever and their au gratin potatoes to die for.

I didn’t see Bay Cities Deli in Santa Monica on the list. We started eating their food in 1961 but I’m sure they were there earlier. They moved a few doors down years ago to larger quarters but the line is still long to get their famous sandwiches.

How about Pepe’s in Alhambra (511 w. Valley Blvd.) it’s been around since 1962. it’s actually a Drive-Aroind not a drive-thru, you order on the right side and drive around the back and pick up on the left side with benches and tables in the front patio between the driving lanes. Old style Mexican food!

I have one I would like help with. Does anyone remember or know of an old place called the Wagon Wheel in the Long Beach area? We used to hit it for breakfast. There was a small parking area in the rear, with a huge anchor chain for a fence.

Could be, the address West Anaheim is about right. It was a pretty old place, and we always entered through the back. Good greasy breakfasts. Is it still there? Google street view seems to show it’s gone.

SO glad to hear that. I’ve been looking forward to dining there again. When I was a child, toward the end of the war, a neighbor lady took me there for my birthday and I heard a pianist and a soloist who sang “White Cliffs of Dover.” So beautiful.

Boyle Heights was not “LA’s first Little Tokyo”. Little Tokyo was only ever in downtown, and it was named that and “Sho Tokyo”. I think it also predates residences in Boyle Heights. There were Japanese communities scattered all around the southland in the late 19th and early 20th century.

I think there is one more to add in LT. Mitsuru Grill has been around a long time.

Also, I haven’t checked the list completely, but I did a read of the 1969 phone book, and in Boyle Heights and East LA, there are a lot of old restaurants still operating. So these are over 45 years old. Slightly newer is the Pioneer Chicken on Soto and Whittier.

In MPK, there’s Taihei from 1983. Nearby in Montebello there’s the J&S Burgers which has been open since 1967. There are Garduno’s elsewhere – one in El Monte. There’s Lucy’s on 3rd in East LA, which is from the 1940s. There’s also Jim’s Burgers which are from the 1950s to the 1970s. (now, we’re gettng into old burger places, of which there are many)

I can’t believe so many comments here are all: “You missed ….”! This is a formidable undertaking!
You should be commended! One of the best things I could ever show people to demonstrate what a complex and fabulous place L.A. is.

I left my native California 10 years ago to live in the (restaurant) desert of So. Oregon. I loved reading your loooong list that included many of my favorite restaurants in So. Cal. Happy to see that so many of them still exist in this world where any structure over five years old gets steam-rolled and covered with mini-malls and parking lots. The Tam O’ Shanter was one of our family’s celebration restaurants and my father remembered it from the VERY OLDEN DAYS when the just served hamburgers. Phillippe’s, The Original Pantry, Tommy’s on Beverly & Rampart (you DID include Tommy’s, didn’t you?), Chronus’s, Taix – these places had soul and we loved the food too! Thanks for the memories.

This list is amazing. What great work Nikki and all those who have contributed more. The Google map from Zymie is cool too and I can’t wait for more of the list to be added. Sorry to see some on the list already closed since the list was started!

What about adding the oldest-still-operating In-N-Out Burger? I don’t know which location that is but the In-N-Out Burger at 2114 E. Foothill Blvd in Pasadena has to be close as it is restaurant #4. My brother-in-law worked there a long time ago and its still operating today.

Also from 1973, how about adding Tony’s Pizza, 255 Huntington Dr. in San Marino? Founder Tony Scott-Belli’s son runs it now. They’ve kept the 1970s look and feel. The menu is still centered on their New York style Neapolitan pizzas with Italian pastas, sandwiches and salads.

Bamboo Inn (since 1951) located at 2005 west 7th Street Los Angeles down the street from Langer’s Deli. We stopped here to eat lunch during the cicLAvia bicycle event. This is a true time warp, even the old red swinging doors scream yesteryear. The cash register is decades old and so are the ceiling fans.

Nikki, I’m trying to get a date on the Crest Lounge at 5921 Temple City Blvd. in Temple City. I know it has been there for at least forty years. Dive bar with booths and a $7.99 steak dinner. SGV Classic.

Tal’s Cafe (since 1941) in South Los Angeles should be added to the list.
This is a popular cafe with an original interior, it has seen better days but it’s a classic.
Original sign out front on Florence Ave, building has multi colored grey paint jobs due
to graffiti coverage. Nice friendly service with big portions served.

Dominick’s (since 1948) in West Hollywood. I went to dinner late last night and the place was packed full of patrons. The 20th of December will be their last day of business and they expect to keep the bar open until the last customer leaves.

Update this market/restaurant is still open, they advertise that they open at 11am but are sometimes delayed. They have a following and they get very busy during the lunch hour. You will never just drive by this place as it is hidden in a residential area. Excellent lunch specials.

Your site is amazing, and growing…. I was looking for a place that claimed to have started the california Chicken BBQ Pizza. It was called Joe Mamma’s and the last time I looked at the location it was a Thai restaurant. Believe it was on Hollywood Way south of Magnolia.West side. Hope you can find out more about the place than I could find on the internet. Seemed to be still open until the early 90’s.

Taco Fiesta in Highland Park has been around since the early 70’s. The current Thai owner bought
it back in 1972, so it must be older than that.
You placed Jitlada (since 1978) in the wrong year column.

Great site; just found you today. By rough count I’ve eaten at over 70 that you’ve noted more than once, and many more a single time. A few personal anecdotes: In 1960 I had my first legal beer at Johnnie’s Pastrami. For years I wanted to go to Casa Bianca, mainly because the signage used term “Pizza Pie” so I knew it was really old. Finally ate there (yum good). The bowls and plates looked as if they were there from day one. About ten years ago whilst strolling with my wife I mention that you knew you were old when you could no longer go for a pizza at Miceli’s at midnight after a movie.

nikki – wow. hats off for a truly amazing compendium youve constructed here. i have a bit of input.. angelos & vincis didnt just remodel in 1992, they moved out of their previous building, which was an old live performance theater, into a new building that they custom-built right next door to it. alas as might be expected the new place doesnt have the extraordinary and irreplacable charm that the old digs did

That was an incredible list!!! It was truly a labor of love. I now live in Lubbock Texas, but grew up right there at the Original Tommys Hamburger at Rampart and Beverly Blvd. I also lived right there by Capitol Burgers for a little bit when I was in elementary school. Thank you for creating this list as it brought back so many memories. I was surprised to see some existing restaurants I thought was long gone like Pioneer Chicken and Jim Dandys. I was curious to see why you didn’t include Yoshinoya Beef Bowl and El Pollo Loco restaurant chain which both had an original Los Angeles location in 1980.

Overall it’s a great list and I hope you continue this list for posterity’s sake. It would be nice to know which restaurants are still around and which has unfortunately closed. Thank you again for compiling such an incredible list. God Bless you!!

Wolw!! What a labor love. It will take many sessions of reading to get through it all, but I went through the oldest ones up to the early 1950s. The only restaurant I did not see on the list was the White House Restaurant in Laguna Beach. It opened in the late 1920s after PCH was paved and the coastal route to San Diego was completed from LA County south (later US 101A the A standing for alternate). Sometime in the 1930s it was known as Bird’s White House Cafe.

Your listing for “The Hat” in 1951 saying it was the original is incorrect. The original was built at the corner of 3rd Street & Ford Blvd in East LA. I was built around 1949. The one you have listed is the second store built.

The original was built by my grandfather and great uncle and was eventually sold and torn down and replaced with a ubiquitous “King Taco”.

I brought this to the attention of the current operators of “The Hat” when they opened their store down in Murrieta. They knew I knew what I was talking about because I was telling them things that only they would have known.

Great list!! Alas for the ones that are no more (Ships, anyone? Or almost everything in Westwood Village…). How about Aki’s Japanese Restaurant ( 11513 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025 ) — they’ve been there since about 1979. Also Emerald Thai Restaurant ( 9315 Venice Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232 ) — they’ve been there since about 1981 (one of the earliest in the Thai wave starting with Tommy Tangs). And there’s Alejo’s Italian Restaurant (8343 Lincoln Blvd. Westchester, CA 90045 ) — I’m not sure how long they’ve been there, but at least since early 1990s & maybe even back to 1980s?). Oh, speaking of Westwood, there’s still Shamshiri Persian Restaurant (1712 Westwood Blvd. Westwood, CA 90024) — they’ve been around since 1982, tho’ there were several years when they were closed due to…? They used to be in a tiny space south of Santa Monica Blvd. And also Sunnin Lebanese restaurant ( 1776 Westwood Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90024 ). They say they’ve been there for 20 years, but I think it’s more like 30 (I swear I ate there in the early 1980s). And there are at least 2 Hawaiian restaurants that have been around awhile: Rutt’s Hawaiian Cafe (12114 W Washington Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066 — since 1976) & King’s Hawaiian ( 2808 Sepulveda Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505 — since 1988). Bob’s Okazuya is newer (1995, 15926 S Western Ave, Gardena, CA 90247).

Because these are by year instead of alphabetically, I can’t tell if you included it, but there’s Heart’s Coffee Shop in Van Nuys, at 16918 Saticoy St, Van Nuys, CA 91406. They have a great facade and sign, and an old-fashioned counter with red padded stools inside.

How about the Sycamore Inn in Upland, California. Been there since 1920’s according to the website. I was taken there by a date back in the late 60’s. It was quite posh and the food was excellent. Near the Magic Lamp on Foothill Blvd. http://www.thesycamoreinn.com/history.html Menu looks the same with oysters Rockefeller and steaks.

I am trying to remember a restaurant in a canyon in LA. It was among the oaks and had a great outdoor area. It was the best place to go for Sunday brunch or lunch. They served really health food. I was last there in the 60’s or 70’s.
Loved reading your list. Brought back many memories for an Angeleno in her 70’s

I live in Sun Valley and there is a restaurant made of river rocks in the valley between here and Sunland. I guess one might call the area Shadow Hills. I cannot remember the name of it, but my parents took me there when I was a child, and I drive by it every now and again. I think it serves Italian food. (I am also in my 70s.)

I just remembered the name of the restaurant. It’s Four Oaks and it was on Beverly Glen. I found an old article that said it was being remodeled and reopening. Maybe it is open again. It was originally built in 1909 I think it said.

Are you remembering The Inn Of The Seventh Ray? Was reborn back in 1973. It’s still there and has a website http://www.innoftheseventhray.com. Has quite a history according to their site. Was quite the place to go for Sunday brunch back in the hippie days of the 70’s.

What about old places under new management? Villa Terraza at 9955 Sunland Blvd recently opened in the spot that was Old Vienna Gardens. Old Vienna opened in 1937 and the place remains almost the same. While it’s a new owner/menu, the place is a time capsule.

El Tecolote Resturant Camarillo Since 1946. Has an Owl theme to it. Great neon sign, & just off the 101 FRWY. David Jones had to sell this place; due to health issues. David gave me a job there. 10 + years ago. I waited tables & bar tended, nights there, until escrow closed. to new owner. New owner worked at Jack’s Deli in Thousand Oaks/Westlake Village. (Now gone).http://www.thecamarilloacorn.com/news/2008-01-11/On_The_Town/044.html
Also, there is some really old restaurants along HWY 126 Such as
Familia Diaz -(1936). (There is talk of retirement?) Still open now. Great Sunday Brunch.
Voted Best In LA. I love the crab enchiladas!

Love your list. Brought back great memories of restaurants in the Hollywood area. Fresh out of the LAPD Academy in 1964, I was assigned to Hollywood Division. I remember
patrolling down Las Palmas Ave and stopping in front of Miceli’s as Frank Sinatra exited
and was entering a car that the valet had just brought to him. The valet ran over
to me extremely excited and shouted “That was Frank Sinatra, he comes here all the
time. Look, he just tipped me with a hundred dollar bill. ” In those days, that was a LOT
of money. I grew up in the late 40’s & 50’s in North Hollywood. I lived two blocks from the original Cupids Hot Dogs on the corner of Lankershim and Burbank Blvds in North Hollywood. Now gone and replaced with a Denny’s restaurant.
Thank you so much for all your hard work in making this list happen. I have been to hundreds
of restaurants on your list over the years and look forward to visiting many more.
Richard

Richard: I grew up in North Hollywood, graduating in W’51. Went to Cupid’s often for the Chili Dogs. Was just telling my wife about that two days ago. Lots of movie people around then and Frank lived on Toluca Lake and Bing Crosby close by until fire destroyed the big colonial house.
Good memories of the area back then.
David DeGroote

David: Many great memories! A&W root beer across from N Hwd Park; The Plunge; El Portal & Valley theaters. I went to school with Bob Hope’s kids. One of my best friend’s Dad worked for Hope doing landscape maintenance on his estate in Toluca Lake. Hanging out at Bob’s Big Boy on Riverside Dr. Drag racing on Forest Lawn Drive.
Richard Salazar

My best friends family owned those theaters (Page Weddington). Several of us had an old Bathtub “Model T” that we towed close to Bob’s and then drove in to order for kicks. Bert Convey was on our basketball team and there were several to become well known in school, eg. the “Schboom” quartet guys, Rusty Tamblin, Marty Milner, and on and on.

You’ve done an amazing piece of work getting all these locations and their specialties and addresses. I have one: The Hi Diddle Griddle in Thousand Oaks. I ate there several times with another writer (we worked for Capitol Records) and I shot a photo of us together in front, holding our burgers. Your scholarship in producing this site not only is excellent, but also the nostalgic memories it recalls is heart-warming.

Speak of the Old Rancho Conejo Valley-How about the Alamo Restaurant, in Newbury Park. It opened back in the late 1970’s. Enjoyed their Sunday Brunch, when it first opened. .It’s been a while since I have been there. The food was always good. Cantina action, also very much alive.

Definitely. It’s the original and always has been the best. I love the homemade tortillas at that very-visible little station and just about everything I’ve ever eaten there over the years. Thanks for remembering! BTW, the one on Sunset in Echo Park really went downhill in its last years. I ate at the one in the San Fernando Valley (near Cal State Northridge) once, and it was good, but closed. Not sure if the one on Wilshire near the I-110 freeway is still open.

When I was a boy there was a “Pig N Whistle” on 6th street, somewhere between Pershing Square and Broadway. We would go in there and take one of the children’s menus, which was in the shape of a pig’s face mask. But I couldn’t afford to eat there. But I vowed when I became a rich adult, I’d go in there and order anything I wanted from the menu.

Hey Nikki, GREAT site. Just found it. Brings back many memories. Many places I thot to be long gone. So thanks for all the research. A couple of sad updates, The Smokehouse in Burbank is gone gone gone, demolished. And I believe that Franks Restaurant (diner), also in Burbank, is also now closed. I’ll be using your list to revisit some old favs, like DalRea (named after a famous trotting horse) in Pico Rivera. Again, thanks and “manga”!”

Its possible I wasn’t really paying attention, but I drove down Olive a couple of weeks ago and the whole area across from WarnerBros Records has been leveled. Apologies if I’m wrong. I remember being shocked and commenting to my wife. I’ll have to “open my eyes” the next time I’m driving in the area. To be continued and thx again. R.

You need a librarian with technical skills! Somebody who can make this sort alphabetically, chronologically, and by type of restaurant (Mexican, coffee shop, etc.). Then it would be even more of a killer resource than it already is!

Thanks!! I’ve been taking photos of all of the restaurants on this list and will be putting out a detailed Google Map with types of restaurants, these descriptions and thousands of photos in the next few months. It’s been quite a project photographing all 400+ restaurants here. 🙂

I love Claremont. Used to live there. My dad had a store. Special town and Wolfe’s was one of our favorite food shopping places. They have specialized service if I remember correctly. Everyone in SoCal should spend a day in Claremont. Many wonderful restaurants and shops.

Nino’s (since 1958) Long Beach. You mentioned that this restaurant will close its doors on
Friday 12AUG2016 but I don’t believe it will be a party like atmosphere when it happens. They get
such bad reviews on Yelp that I think it will close its doors in its own lonely misery, so sad.

Hi Nikki ~
this is a fantastic list and as a native Angeleno I am so grateful for all of your research, hard work, and for sharing! I am working on a story about “famous LA restaurants that opened in the month of October”. I’ll be doing my own research, discovering the birthdays of some of my favorites from your list. Again, thank you so much, I love this!

There were two that I just loved in Encino. In the 80’s, Copper Penny. They had a giant jar of pickles on every table. That was on Ventura Bl. & Petit. The other one, I’m having trouble finding any info about. Early 70’s on Ventura Bl. & Havenhurst was a “Soda shop” called The Fire Brigade. It had a real old fashion fire engine in the front. Best root beer floats I’v ever had!! If anyone has any information on the F.B. I will forever be thankful!

Pizza Buona (since 1959) is opening up again a block away from its old location. A new italian restaurant is opening up in the original location and will be called Cosa Buona in honor of the original restaurant.

THIS IS THE UPDATED INFO: Casa Escobar Westlake will be closing September 11, last day is September 10. Please keep checking back for info on our new location in the Conejo Valley! also please visit us in Malibu 22969 PCH, Malibu, CA.

There was a concrete” tent” painted blue and white, called the Wig-Wam, that sold burgers on the corner of La Cienega and Santa Monica, circa 1960-65….at least, I think there was…was there?

The Red Room on La Cienega…a Swiss place. I see someone remembered Kelly’s Steakhouse, where they served steak on metal trays. Bratskellars, that had the first “Pong” game in the bar tables. Wil Wright’s Ice Cream Parlor on the Strip . La Rue, on Sunset Plaza.

Hi Nikki,
Wow! What a great list, and what a great job you’ve done with it.
Are you still interested in this subject, or have you moved on? Cuz it’s a lot!
Respond and I will give you a list of places in O.C. Thanks for your work!

Yes, Nikki is constantly updating this post to reflect newly discovered classics and sadly, closures. She is working on an extensive adjunct project that we suspect will be even more popular than this one!

Lucky Deli (since 197?) Chinatown Los Angeles. I asked two employees what year did the restaurant open, they answered 30 or 40 years, very old very old. This place is beat up and dirty and screams yesteryear, it’s very popular for its inexpensive menu.

Knowlwood started in 1957, by Roy and Fay Knowlton and a partner, Gene Wood. It was named, “Knowl-Wood”. Their first location was in present day Anaheim Hills, in what was then known as Orangewood Ranch, along Imperial Highway.

Love this article and bless you for your idea. I only wish you were in my area and could do the same. Of course there are many restaurant reviewers in San Francisco, but your style is warming, and point on and I feel you not only love food, but have a regard for blending the old with the new.

Great list. Please check out D’elias Grinders on University in Riverside. I remember them from the 50’s. At one point there were several,but I believe there is only one left in the original location. It has had huge renovations. Originally you walked up to one of 4 Windows where they made your sandwiches to order while you watched. They were/are famous for daily baking their own wonderful French rolls for the sanwiches. We drive from Anaheim ..well worth the 35 mile drive.

Many Los Angeles, San Fernando Valley favorites were omitted from this list, although this list is more complete than other lists I have seen. It ‘is’ interesting to note that the writer is not a native Californian which may be part of the reason, or she may have just compiled from other’s lists. Hopefully an updated version including the respondents submissions will be forthcoming.

The author has put her heart and soul into this list. She is constantly updating it as restaurants are discovered and restaurants close. Not all submissions are added to the list for a variety of reasons. When a restaurant has changed hands, moved location, and/or been renamed, it must be decided whether that constitutes the original restaurant. Also, restaurants are only added if the exact year it opened can be verified.

I can also assure you that the author is by enthusiasm, research and love of the city as much an Angeleno as anyone born within city limits.

It “is” interesting to note that you do not give a single example of a surviving Vintage, Historic or Old School Restaurant that was omitted, as you do not back up your specious suppositions but just throw them out there to see what sticks to the wall. Nikki has done the best job I have ever seen of pulling together a list like this, and I know first hand some of the research she has put in. I don’t know what motivates you to take groundless shots at another person based on their geographic origin or your imagination, but it certainly tells me what I need to know about you, Dana.

I am a native Angeleno and I can tell you that I appreciate Nikki stepping up to the plate to compile this great list of the surviving historic restaurants all around LA and Orange county. Taking jabs at someone for not being a native Californian is just a low blow.

What a fantastic compilation! Thank you. I’m a second generation Los Angeleno. My father worked at Clifton’s Cafeteria when he was in high school (I think one on Broadway?). Does anyone remember the Samoa House on Ventura Blvd? It’s been gone for many years. My aunt worked there as a waitress and I remember many fun times with family – there was a moat with fish outside, flagstone rock walls, and big ceiling fans in the dining room. Also, if you expand your list to Camarillo – please add El Tecolito on Lewis Road – it’s still open and has the same funky painted and neo sign with the owl. Ate there many times as a child in the 60’s. Thanks so much 🙂

I had mentioned EL Tecolote (333 Lewis Rd; right off the 101) in a previous comment. I used to work there waiting tables. It’s a bit different looking, since David Jones had sold it, about 8 or 9 years ago. Still it has the same owl theme going on.

Is it the same owners? I remember being invited to a complimentary dinner there. By the father’s son. When they first opened. A father bought the place. His son also worked there. Perhaps 35 years later the son still runs it? If so? I’d like to go back there to say hello.

What!!!! We dine there about once and month and know the owners and family. What a disappointment! Any idea why? Just getting tired of the original restaurant? Of course, I love Yxta and the Mercados and Maradentro. But, we can’t afford to eat there often because they’re considerably more expensive than El Arco Iris. I am very disappointed.

Thanks. I found another article in LA Eater that said that Jesse Gomez, the current owner, said the same thing and that his mom (Angie) also wants to care for her aged mother. Jesse said that the area could use a sushi restaurant, so maybe that will happen. His other restaurants (Yxta, the three Mercados, and the two Maradentros) all are outstanding, but pricier. Their guacamole, carnitas and flan are the best I’ve ever had.

Awesome!! Just spent 3 hours going down memory lane. Nikki you are a wonderful and caring person and I really appreciate you. There used to be a restaurant by Figueroa in Eagle Rock area that we went to. Kind of a fancy place that had ribs steaks etc. My girls went there for proms etc. this was in the 70″s plus. It was like up on a hill. driving me crazy to remember the name.

This would be of primary interest to folks interested in jazz and/or blues: In the Fall of 1960, I had the great opportunity (long story) to be invited by blues singer Jimmy Witherspoon to hear drummer Jesse Price (formerly of Big Jay McShann’s Kansas City Blues Band) play at a restaurant /bar (it had a small band-stand as well) named “The Fireside Bar and Grill.” (??) Does anyone know if there was such a club around then? I think it was located at Western and Adams (SW corner). Anyone have any idea of what I am talking about? It would be wonderful to get a response to this. God bless..

It’s been 45 years since I went to the Original Pantry. I had a steak of some sort, but that part is lost in the years, but not the coleslaw, bread and butter. it was in a crock on the table. I looked for years to find any like the colelaw.

Aloha Nikki ~ Do you know about The Ramp… on Hollywood Way, right near Glenoaks and I-5, where Burbank + Sun Valley come together. It’s tucked right between the freeway and the southbound on-ramp. It was in at least one episode of The Rockford Files. It doesn’t look like much from the outside… when you go inside, it’s amazing how much room there is. Steaks, garlic bread, variety on the menu, attached bar. You enter in the bar… there may be a couple pool tables… you walk thru to the dining room. It’s been there since the early 60s. The I-5 freeway was built there in 1962. The Ramp is a favorite of many.

A overlooked gem of the San Gabril Valley the San Marino Grill a family owned (now second generation) since the mid 1960;s. If you are looking for a delightful midwestern coffee shop this is the place. This place has changed very little since my first visit in 1965. Really good and consistant food with old fashion service many menue items home made with pride Only open for breakfast and lunch .
Mike Kniest

I’ve never heard of the San Marino Grill, and I’ve lived in Alhambra since 1962. Someone asked on Nextdoor recently where there’s a nice coffee shop (family-owned, casual, inexpensive, etc.), and nobody mentioned it. Thanks for the tip.

La Azteca Tortillarilla on Chevy Chase on the border of LA and Glendale has been there a very long time. I started eating there in 1960 and it was not new when I ate there. Same owners also, I think they are on their 4th generation. Little crappy hole in the wall mexican place with very good food.

Ranchero (since 1969) Pasadena
We drove past this place and my wife pointed it out
‘There goes an old school restaurant I used to eat at in the early 80’s’
I would’ve missed it if she didn’t mention it

Good news! I called to check on this information and they are not closing. The fact that they were closing for financial reasons was reported on Twitter on May 22 by Lost Los Angeles and was widely shared after that. That was when I updated this information. It turns out that this seems to have been some kind of a hoax.

I don’t believe it exists anymore, but the Original Barbeque at 801 S. Vermont in LA was established in 1936. I still have an old ashtray my folks confiscated from the place which states “I stole this at the Original Barbeque “. Included the address, a chicken graphic, and DUnkirk 9-4335!

Sadly long gone. Used to be my parent’s favorite place. I remember walking along 8th and seeing the chickens rotating on the spits in the side window. Went once for dinner after seeing “The Time Machine” in 1960. It was raining and a street car rounding the corner from 8th onto Vermont had it’s trolley come off the overhead wire. The motorman or conductor pulled down on the cable and reconnected it with a huge shower of sparks. The grandchildren of the owners opened a new Original Barbeque on Baldwin Ave in Sierra Madre in the 1970’s but it did not last very long. I would love to find one of those ashtrays!

I remember that place, too. Don’t know whether my family ever ate there, but I remember seeing it many times. Try eBay for the ashtray and, more likely, postcards of the place. You’d be surprised at all of the memorabilia you can find on eBay (at least, I have).

Great list. Vince’s and La Palomar were staples for my family growing up in Claremont in the ’60s and ’70s. I’ve seen a couple of (deserved) recommendations for Flo’s at the Chino Airport, but there’s another nearby place that deserves consideration: Centro Basco in Chino. Communal dining in the front (get there on time) and family style in the rear. Best lamb I’ve ever had.

Does anyone have a list of fast food places or restaraunts that existed in the city of Bell California in the 1970’s? Especially any mom and pop type burger places and if anyone knows if anyone one of them were owned by a John Adrian or a Leo Jackson or at least owned by a person of those last
Names? I am trying to compleye some family history stuff. My name is Ken Motley and I am on facebook and my email is ken4christ777@yahoo.com

Our favorite Italian in the SFV in the 1960s was Chi-Chis. The original we went to was in Panorama City and opened in 1958. That one is gone now, but several other locations still serve the same amazing food and it’s still run by the same family. Adorable logo too. https://www.chichispizza.com/

The Admiral Risty decor inside is exactly the same as when it opened. The shopping center was purchase by a new owner and sadly changed the exterior to match the rest of the center. Food is still outstanding.

Nikki I love this list and have been following since you started. One comment about Clearman’s Northwoods Inn in San Gabriel. Your description says it was the first NWI in 1966. That is incorrect. The first NWI was on the south side of Huntington Drive just east of Santa Anita Wash. It was forced to relocate to make way for the 210 Freeway, and was moved to a spot next to Clearman’s Golden Cock on Rosemead Blvd in San Gabriel. The original restaurant was built in the 1950’s. Went there often with my parents and, after it was moved, there was no visible difference except for the patio area.

Your web site claims that the first Clearman’s was the one on Rosemead Blvd. An LA Eater article says that his first one opened in Monrovia some years earlier.

Also, the La Parrilla restaurant on Cesar Chavez in East LA has a tortilla-making station in the front and a total of three dining rooms. There was one branch in Sunset Blvd. in Silver Lake and another in Northridge. Both closed a few years ago.

Twohey’s in Alhambra is not simply a hamburger joint any more. Known for its house-made onion rings and even more famous for its hot fudge sundaes, the 75-year-old restaurant has a full array of dinner entrees and offers seasonal specials such as Rib-O-Rama and Lobster Fest. Twohey’s also has a catering business and an be booked for private parties.

Twohey’s was one of our favorite cruise spots back in the late ’50s to early the early ’60s back when it was mostly a drive-in. It was usually hard to find a parking spot to get car hop service on the week ends.

It’s more difficult to find a parking place now because there’s an In-N-Out just south of Twohey’s, and they share the parking lot. But, a positive note is that Twohey’s has added so many really good items to the menu: Rib-O-Rama, Lobster Festival, a host of special omelets, turkey burgers, much, much more. I hardly remember the old building, but when my son was young, we loved to eat dinner in the drive-in part and count hot fudge sundaes as they came out.

What was the name of the restaurant on Pico Blvd. in West LA where Islands (the hamburger place) is now located. They served Spanish food, including Paella. Was it Matador? Does anyone have any historical data on it?